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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:
Mon, 15 Apr 2002 14:28:07 -0500
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Hello Blane and All,

Blane raises some excellent points. I guess I will try and address his
points. I should be in bed as I was up all night moving bees into Apples but
slept for two hours when I got home and am wide awake. Another night of
moving bees tonight.
Blane wrote:
 The question is how can we increase yield  per colony without increasing
costs?

Many conditions need to be present for many honey plants to produce nectar.
Soybeans for instance. Commercial fishing and commercial beekeeping have got
many things in common. I have seen truck loads of bees moved in on a floral
source only to come back in a few weeks to find the bees starving. In our
area we get a above normal honey crop once every four years. We also get a
below normal honey crop at least as often. I have seen fields white from
Dutch Clover and not a bee working the blossoms. A few years back we were
feeding bees to keep bees from starving while record honey crops were
happening 200 miles to the east. We kept waiting for our honey flow to
start. Finnally we got enough of a crop to stop feeding bees.

Blana wrote:
 so in  spite of the conflicting interests between pollination and honey
production >  most large commercial outfits that depend on both are pulled
in two =
> different directions at once.

I really hope my partner reads this post (lurker he is).  We have had
serious dispute over pollination. I am not using my bees this year for
reasons Blane stated. Loss of honey crop because of gearing up for
pollination which throws off getting ready for our main honey flow is my
reason. My partner can not believe I passed up pollination money to gamble
on a honey crop.

> We do need to come up with ways to both increase per colony productivity
> in terms of honey production etc )

I have had hives overflowing with bees but when the plants do not cooperate
all you get for your efforts is swarming.

Blane wrote:
 and reduce the labor involved in  harvesting and managing those colonies.

One way to reduce costs:
My partner hired a new employee last week. He lasted two days. So now I have
to take the new hires place without pay.

Things which went wrong last night :
forklift battery went dead. Also when we went out to leave the negative clip
from the battery charger had blown off the post with the high winds. Luckily
the forklift worked ok.

The truck shop had checked the truck over the day before but after the truck
was loaded the truck had no brake lights. Fixed those.

On the way home the filters plugged up on the engine. The filters had been
changed a couple days before. We cleaned the filters on a off ramp. We had a
small can of diesel fuel and tools in case. Fixed those . Went by the truck
shop and mechanic said fuel problem caused by a tank of bad fuel.  Picked up
two extra filters so we can change if needed over the next couple nights.
Problem solved till tonight.

Thankful my imunity to bee stings is still working. Zero swelling to report.

Slept only two hours and not sleepy. Problem not solved yet.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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