Bees ~ Our Garden Friends

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Crabbergirl

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I mentioned that a neighbor had gotten several bee hives, and that he has started a new hive which needs to be far away from the established hives. We offered to foster a hive for a few months and that is something I was very excited about. The owner came down to inspect the new hive on Sunday and these are the pictures I took. They are not real good because I was not covered like I needed to be and I was nervous so the bees were all over me. So anyway here are a few pics!
 

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The middle pic is actually new hive that they are producing honey in. The shiny cells are full of honey.
The last picture, the brown covered cells are eggs for new worker bees. They only live about 30 days. We are always finding dead bees outside the hive. They remove the dead workers from the hive. :(
 

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As a kid we ran through the clover fields and were always getting stung. It never seemed to bother me. I think they know you are nervous and that sets them off. These guys seem to be very tolerant of our invasion. I have learned so much and I really want to start my own hives in the spring. It is getting too late to start one now.
 
how cool...I would love to have a hive near me...the honey is the best...do you get some of the honey ?thanks for sharing the pic's just love it
 
That is very fortunate having a beekeeper near by, especially for those wanting to learn about the subject.
I've been interested in beekeeping for several years, gathering information about them and their hives.
I'm still a little skittish of ordering the hive and bees. It is a big responsibility.
It's said that they come after you if they don't like certain smells such as sweat or bad breath, and come after you if they like certain smells such as perfumes, and clothes softener, and certain colors of clothing. Some day I'll be brave enough.
Great pictures crabbergirl. thank you for sharing those.
 
I went to a county fair many years ago (Placer County, California) and had the opportunity to talk with a boy that was probably pre-teen about bees. He was very knowledgable and I really appreciated the opportunity to talk to him. He was a 4-H kid and bees were his 4-H project. I found out that German bees had darker bands on the abdomen part and were more aggressive than Italian bees. I learned that almost 50 years ago.
 
Randy the Italian bees are less aggressive, that I have heard also. That would have been a blue ribbon for me to speak with that young lad. I've been getting news articles from the web and have ordered a magazine from the "Bushy Mountain bee farm" they sell hives and equipment, supplies but will not mail out any queens or worker bees..they are in South Carolina long drive to buy bees.
 
I have seen swarms of bees, but you can't really count on getting them that way. That is how many bee keepers get them though as people that find them will usually call a bee keeper to remove them for them. Were I to want bees, I would contact a bee keeper.
 
swarmingbees.jpg


funny you mention swarms, we have had many at different times through the years..it may be a good thing just to order a beehive or two. I may be more prepared the next freebees :)
 
Randy the Italian bees are less aggressive, that I have heard also. That would have been a blue ribbon for me to speak with that young lad. I've been getting news articles from the web and have ordered a magazine from the "Bushy Mountain bee farm" they sell hives and equipment, supplies but will not mail out any queens or worker bees..they are in South Carolina long drive to buy bees.

If you would like I can find out where my friend gets his queens. They came by mail and had a couple drons I think with her. Let me know if you want the info.
 
I saw a swarm in town one day.
it was so sad because they were in a major intersection and were getting smashed by cars. :(

I found out that you should have a minimum of 5 miles between hives. This is because they will rob each other's hives and only one will do well and one may even die off. So in respect to my neighbor I will not get a hive , I will just continue to foster hives for him. :(
 
Hello Crabbergirl, yes please with the mailing information on ordering bees.

I believe it was Germany where I had seen on a special, bees came into town in a swarm and settled on a signal light with tangled wires. The fire department hoisted a few beekeepers to collect them..it was not easy. But at least they did something to save them.
Bees have a hard time surviving, with mites, and a spore parasite, Nosema which invades the intestinal tracts of adult bees. Also the Foulbrood, Chalkbrood, and many others.
You would be a beekeepers keeper and that sound like a great thing to me. :) I didn't know about them being miles apart. But think that to be general, due to them steeling back their own honey when it is being taken. They are fascinating insects.
 
Shady,
I will get the info for you and PM it to you on Monday. ( I still only have dial up at home :( so I use my work computer) So far my neighbor hasn't had any bad issues with parasites or pest. I asked him about those issues as years ago I wanted bees and scared myself out of it after talking to an extension agent. But "Marlow" says it really isn't all that hard. But I won't tread on his territory. I really didn't need the repsonsibility of any more living things anyway. :rolleyes: But the honey would be good!
 
Sounds to me like you have a good arrangement, Crabber. We have been given an occasional quart or two of honey by a family in California. There is a young lady that graduated from the local university last year and she was/is a friend of one of the granddaughter's. Her family has bees and she brings honey back for us when she comes back to Oregon. She is student teaching in Portland now and we don't see her as often. I rarely use any honey though due to the diabetes. For as much jam as I make, I only have one slice of toast a week with jam on it and that was this morning (Friday). It was blueberry jam and sure was good.
 
No problem with the wait on information, I know the that dial up is so tiresome...we called about getting air signal but as yet havn't heard from the man.
The exchange for honey is a great trade, the taste is so different from store bought. I'm still studying bees on the do's and don'ts so Monday would be fine, and thank you.

Randy the blueberry jam sounds really good!
 
The blueberry is my favorite. I make another item using blueberries too. I wasn't familiar with the term "conserve" in relation to berries until I found the recipe in the Ball Blue Book. A conserve is preserved fruit or berries that contains more than one item. In the case of 'Blueberry Conserve' it contains blueberries, raisins, lemon and lime. There is sugar in it too, of course. Corn starch is used as a thickener and it is a tasty topping for vanilla ice cream. I was asked about a blueberry topping for ice cream by a friend at church and when I did a search, this was what I came up with.
 
Shady,
I worked on Sat and was at church all day yesterday so I didn't connect with the bee man. I should one day this week though. He has to come visit his bees.
 
Randy you are awakening my taste buds...yum :) I have a old blue book that came with a hand-me-down caner years ago. There are a lot of different and unusual recipies,some I've not heard nor tried.
Crabbergirl, no problem with the information,I hav n't been able to come on here in a few days too. Sometimes life just gets in the way,I'm sure you will share the information when tme permits.
 


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