In message  <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> Regarding the discussion about city hives versus country hives.  Does
> anybody know what benefit the readily available garbage in the city
> has on the bees?  It seems there is a ready supply of sweets every
> where.
 
They certainly can if they find a suitable reliable source.   Most
of  the  sources  however  are  not  reliable  enough for the bees
foraging 'intelligence' system (you know, the  bee  dance  and  so
on).   I  do know of a case when it happend and I'm sure there are
others.
 
The beekeeper was puzzled by the appearance of the honey.  It  was
less  clear  than  usual and had a curious blue/green tinge to it.
With some caution he tasted a small sample  --  Peppermint  Cream!
From the nearby candy factory.
 
> I have only observed yellow jackets trying to get into my soda
> but it seems logical that honey bees would be equally interested.
 
Honeybees store food ready for the winter and are quietly  tidying
up for winter -- they've mostly already got their stores by autumn
(fall).
 
Yellow jacket nests however, collapse in the autumn  as  these  do
_not_  survive  through the winter.  The adults normally get their
food in the form of a sugary secretion from the brood,  in  return
for feeding meat to them.  So in the fall there are lots of adults
looking for food and few larvae to supply it, so the adults  start
to get desparate.
 
--
Gordon Scott          [log in to unmask]   Compuserve 100332,3310
Basingstoke Beekeeper [log in to unmask]