Mike writes:
 Do/Did you know for certain that the hive
being invaded was queenless?

Reply:
Mike, over the years I have worked with queenless colonies
and requeening in large numbers, and when doing certain
field management like taking up numbers with splits/divides
you learn to note what you do, and what is happening.

As for you being concerned about the cattle. Did you know
that we keep our honeybees on cattle ranches in So. Arizona
and have done so for decades.......and I am not talking
small ranches by the way. The horses and cattle there graze
right up to the fronts of the hives and all around the
yards. But we don't put commercial bee yards up against
water holes though or troughs. They are set back about 1/4
to 1/2 mile and we keep floats in the artificial water
troughs with ranches help so the bees don't drown.

Only problem we have is the cattle when newly released each
spring knocking over hives thinking the newer (3 deeps or
less) are salt blocks or something to  rub heads on for
ich. So we kid the ranchers about keeping killer
cattle........for when knocked over the cattle/horses then
try to eat the honey and pollen frames and the poor bees
can starve or have to find shelter which is sad.

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/




__________________________________________
Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about.
Just $16.99/mo. or less.
dsl.yahoo.com

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---