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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:16:00 -0500
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Hello Peter & All,

> In California, bees take a beating in the summer due to excessive
> temperatures, insecticides, etc. These bees are not strong and healthy,
> but > they are moved to coastal areas to recuperate. After a while, they
are > strong enough to start splitting again.

I agree movement within a state all hives might be moved. However when you
move a long way then things change. For the most part "dinks" ( hives
which are in trouble are not worth the effort).

> Similarly, I have seen bees in Upstate NY that are pretty well wrecked by
> the end of October due to mites, etc. These hives are hauled to Florida
> for > treatment and recuperation.

Treatment & recuperation?

Again hives over varroa threshold are a waste of time and money. Many ways
to keep bees. i have watched many beekeepers spin their wheels trying to
keep bees the way Peter speaks of. However not the way the largest outfits
do.

> The way you write, it sounds like weak hives are blown out or just left
> behind. If it were a widespread practice, I believe I would have seen it.

I have seen operations run as you describe but the outfits I am around do
things as I describe. Rebuild from your best hives and new queens at
regular intervals. One large outfit rebuilds several times a year .


> Other than that, I agree that hardly anyone outside the bee industry has a
> remote clue of what beekeepers do.

Actually many hobby and sideline have little knowledge of commercial
beekeeping methods other than the little they read about those methods on
the internet. A few of those has helped us and said:
"I can't believe you work your bees in the manor you do!" " just the
opposite of what the books say!"

Example:
helpers say:
"Bees really will go down into a lower box as easy as they will move up!"

I use methods handed down from generations of beekeepers which they
learned from trial and error. These methods are rarely in print or talked
of at meetings.

The successful beekeeper in my opinion has to have a system. Richard Adee
has been a success in an industry filled with beekeeper failures because
in my opinion he has a system for every part of his operation. Bell Honey
always used systems worked out by Bell. His method of package introduction
was different than i had ever seen but worked great.



bob



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