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Date: | Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:44:23 PDT |
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About this fixation on returning to a hive in a certain place, bees landing
on a turned hive and walking around the the now-differently-oriented entrance,
etc. --- I was watching workers returning to my hive, this weekend, and was
amazed at the path some were taking. The hive is on top of a tool shed roof,
where it is shaded by a large ash tree in summer. The entrance faces
northeast, and the tree dips a large branch down on the east side. When
the tree is in leaf, bees flying in from the east would have to circle
around the branch like a plane circling in to an airport runway. Despite
the leafless condition of the branches there, they are still following the
pattern, circling well around the skeletal branches, rather than following
a more direct route.
Little ladies surprised me by swarming, the end of last week. I've caught
them tossing what appear to be dismembered queen pupae/larvae out
of the hive, the past couple mornings. I figure I'll give the new queen a
while to settle in before checking how she's laying... Of course, I'll never
forget the year they swarmed on February 2nd...
Crossing my fingers in San Jose
Jane B. [[log in to unmask]]
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