In a message dated 5/9/02 9:06:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


>
       I have always understood that the beehive is the Bee Seat.  It is the
display of papers in hand that will give you "Honeybee, The Understanding".
       When you have sat on a full hive teaching others one learns not to
dance with the bees, to tell the difference in the chorus of sounds, smell
the sweetness from only the perfect million flowers, and never past odor on
the front porch, as the bees do.
       Bees will line up at even spacing just above the entrance to dance.
They are cleaning the entrance of funGus or discusSing the sWarming to a new
home.  When you have two separate but even moves the group has not decided on
the same area to swarm to.  When the group units in dance they will leave
shortly.  My son has won National Ballroom Dancing and can do a winning copy.


fired off the "Check the archives!" response
       When you teach thousands of kids in a couple of days the questions
will always stump one.  I have read my collection of magazines back to 1950
and I can't remember who, what, or where I was taught the dance.  Most of the
folks that I knew have pasted on (bees too) and I am not sure who it was
anyhow.  As far as the questions I have gotten back to the class teachers
with the answers.

       I have taken 7 hives and split them into 132 nucs since the middle of
Feb,2002.
with no chemicals used.  I have loses but the 132 looks like they will hold
and will be split until 300 by fall.  The honey that I extracted is the best
I have ever seen and they retain there memory to come back for more.
       If you listen to the hive when you open the lid the chorus sound in a
roar is a stress problem that needs to be checked out closely.  The
skitsofranic[sp] queens will toot or quack to let you know you just made her
day.  An interview with a directional microphone will let you learn from the
bee dance buzzes inside the observational hives.  Even the bee in your face
has a different tune then the other just flying around you.
       I am in many hives and everyday I learn something else.  And where did
Noak keep his bees?  Oh yes it was in the Arc Hives.
       After the last 48 hours straight in the hives it is a good night.
       Michael Housel