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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
"David L. Green" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 15 May 2000 11:30:08 EDT
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In a message dated 5/15/00 7:43:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> >Why should ahb nukes do the same pollination job as a strong colony of
>  anything
>  >else?
>
>  I would think what they are getting at is that by having the same number of
>  bees in smaller colonies the job is done with less defensive behavior.
Where
>  one hive would be used maybe four nucs would be substituted.

   Yes nucs are not the same, as Al points out; you have to use more of them.
And probably four nucs are not even going to be equivalent to one full
strength colony, at least with the bees we are used to in the US.

    But, if the field workers are getting stung, you are not going to get
much pollination, either. They will throw gasoline on them and touch them
off.  The pickers will tolerate a sting now and then, but they will not
tolerate really nasty hives.

   We have vestigages of the old german bee around here; it can be a nasty
bee. If I let these go out for pollination, I can guarantee I'll lose some
hives.

     The downside of keeping gentle bees on pollination is that the pickers
like to steal frames of honey (or even whole supers). This can lead to
starving bees on vine crops where they won't make additional honey. Also they
are not too careful about nailing back the covers, so they can get soaked in
a thunderstorm.

     I put a warning on the hives, in English and Spanish, that the hives for
pollination only; they are treated with pesticides (true) and that the honey
cannot be eaten. I think this helps some.

Dave Green
http://pollinator.com

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