Hello All
 
I recently obtained a copy of a booklet entitled 'Listen to the Bees' by Rex
Boys. This publication relates the story of the Apidictor, goes into the
theory of the device but does not supply sufficient information to construct
one. However I am following it up with Rex Boys as he states that around 300
were manufactured - he specifies UK design patent no 729067.1958. He further
states that last summer (1998) two beekeepers were supplied with data
enabling faults to be cured. I get the impression that this is purely a
hobbyists device.
 
My main purpose in sending this post was to show the following statement
from the booklet to see if the members think that it is reliable.
 
'An average hive has about 4000 nurse bees of which half are feeding larvae
and the other half feeding the queen who eats 20 times her own weight in a
day. Even if there is a drop in demand, the nurses go on producing food;
they cannot help it because they are at that stage in the life cycle.'
 
This seems to me to be a very high proportion of the nurse bees.
 
I also seem to recall that if the nursing requirements diminish, nurse bees
will be re assigned to guard duties or foraging.
 
I shall be grateful for comments, and thanks for recent input on Apideas.
 
Sincerely
 
Tom Barrett
49 South Park
Foxrock
Dublin 18
Ireland
 
Hobbyist beekeeper
 
e mail [log in to unmask]
Tel + 353 1 289 5269
Fax + 353 1 289 9940
 
Latitude  53 Degrees 16' North
Longitude  6 Degrees  9' West of Greenwich