----- Original Message -----
From: James Fischer <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: Help


Hello Jim and All,
Jim wrote:
> The problematic water source was a hot-tub.

The two bee problems I hear about the most are the *watering hole* and the
*cracked corn* problem.

I always try to make a effort to solve the problem (however small) and  at
least show compassion for those people which feel intruded upon by their
fellow inhabitants of mother earth.

Truth is most water problems go away when the nectar flow starts as bees use
water from drying nectar instead of from the *watering hole*.
 I can always tell a nectar flow by checking the bees *watering hole* for
the absence of bees.

Bees going  through *cracked corn* for protein  always ends with the first
fresh pollen.
Many beekeepers give themselves a pat on the back when Mother Nature is
really the problem solver
.
Jims method of solving the hot tub problem is not new but my bees have
longer memories than three days it seems.

I remember a swimming pool problem a few years ago. I put a little cake pan
of water out (with a float of course) to stop 24 strong hives with
population of 50-60,000 bees each  from getting water at his pool about a
quarter mile away.
The bees had a pond about 50 feet from the hives.
 The owner looked skeptical as he looked down at the small cake pan but the
beekeeper always knows best. Right!
but I assured the owner the problem would be solved within a week.

 The honey flow started a couple days later (which I knew it would) and the
problem was solved. Seems the barefoot pool owner had stepped on one of my
bees and been zapped. Either the pool owner is watching the placement of his
feet or the bees have stopped using his pool as a water source as I have not
had a water complaint from him in a couple years.

I had a complaint this spring from a farmer about my bees stealing the
powdered cracked corn from his chickens. I told him to go out and look as I
was sure his chickens were eating my bees. When he called me back (about
five minutes) and said his chickens were indeed feeding on my bees I told
him a story which almost brought him to tears. Those poor bees were risking
their very lives to get feed to prevent starvation of their baby bees. The
farmer said the bees  could use all the protein they needed and he was going
to put out a pan especially for the bees outside the chicken pen.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

Ps. And then there was the story of the farmer which was going to burn my
hives.
The story of   the farmer which  said he was going to push a hive over every
hour till the hives were moved. I live a hour and a half away. He hung up on
me on the phone. He stopped after the third hive as both his eyes were
swollen shut his wife said. He was upset as he said one of my truck tires
took out a row of  seeded corn. I politely told him I was sorry and offered
to pay for the damage. I had came in and out in the middle of the night.
His wife said when she called not to move the hives as she needed the honey
I give her and she had the last word around her house. I did have to go and
set up four hives as one he pushed over hit another hive.
The farmer and I are still friends but we have NEVER spoke of the *hive
rage* incident.