Reply to: Bees

[Drewster]

I think bees tend to be calmer round monks because the monks have a blander diet than most people (and they know various ancient charms to mutter at the right moment )

I once saw a program where someone (possibly Brother Adam) pushed his hand slowly right into a clump of bees the size of a basketball, felt around in the middle, and gently pulled out the queen bee.

It would be a very bad idea to try that having had a curry the night before!

Don't know about that specific instance - but the old "look how brave I am" trick with Bees crawling all over you/sticking hands in etc isn't quite as "brave" as it looks......

During their early life (first few weeks) Bees have "jobs" to do in the hive (feeding brood, cleaning etc) and have:
a) No need to fly
b) No need to sting
So in fact they can do neither.....
As they get older their "jobs" change.... They go on to be Guards - where they need to fly and sting... so they develop both....

If you remove all the flying Bees.... the thousands of Hive Bees left actually can't sting...
So putting your hand in/have them crawling over your face in a beard isn't dangerous at all.....

That said... calm, slow and careful can work wonders... Some Beeks don't use any PPE (Personal Protection) at all.... some only use a veil... some pretty well wear armour - including thick leather gauntlets.....

The biggest cause of argument among Beeks is about Gloves....
actually thats not strictly true.... an Old Beek saying is "If you have 2 Beeks you will have at least 3 opinions on any subject!"

Bit like CUK

[OwlHoot]

Sorry mate - you've lost me......

I was asking about the Hives -
WBC=William Broughton Carr
Langstroth=Reverend L. L. Langstroth
National=(Well) Modified National really.

I know Brother Adam was well into breeding calm and easily handled bees down at Buckfast Abbey.... all though I think since he died they haven't really continued with his methods....

but I didn't know of such a thing as a Buckfast Hive.....

Your picture looked like WBC's......... perhaps you could enlighten me?

I think bees tend to be calmer round monks because the monks have a blander diet than most people (and they know various ancient charms to mutter at the right moment )

I once saw a program where someone (possibly Brother Adam) pushed his hand slowly right into a clump of bees the size of a basketball, felt around in the middle, and gently pulled out the queen bee.

It would be a very bad idea to try that having had a curry the night before!

[threaded]

I'm not sure about Poly hives.... I know they are lighter and cheaper and all that but.....
still better than the Beehaus......

Whats your take on Buckfast Bees? are they really calm..... I always thought the Beek made a lot of difference...... having seen some old guys able to do pretty much what they like to hives that others thought were "evil"...... my mentor seems to be able to "calm" just about any hive he walks upto....... he has about 60years experience though......

You can see there's a good few I've got strung out along that field, there were 32 hives in that line. So they pretty much get on with each other. They're good at keeping people (and more importantly their dogs) off the fields, yet I've not heard of anyone getting stung by them.

[Drewster]

Opps, got mixed up, thought you were talking of breeds.

Those wooden hives got binned, they were the traditional Danish 12x10 standard. This year they're in polystyrene hives which are also Danish 12x10 standard. Bit like a Langstroth but with a shorter and deeper frame.

I'm not sure about Poly hives.... I know they are lighter and cheaper and all that but.....
still better than the Beehaus......

Whats your take on Buckfast Bees? are they really calm..... I always thought the Beek made a lot of difference...... having seen some old guys able to do pretty much what they like to hives that others thought were "evil"...... my mentor seems to be able to "calm" just about any hive he walks upto....... he has about 60years experience though......

[threaded]

Sorry mate - you've lost me......

I was asking about the Hives -
WBC=William Broughton Carr
Langstroth=Reverend L. L. Langstroth
National=(Well) Modified National really.

I know Brother Adam was well into breeding calm and easily handled bees down at Buckfast Abbey.... all though I think since he died they haven't really continued with his methods....

but I didn't know of such a thing as a Buckfast Hive.....

Your picture looked like WBC's......... perhaps you could enlighten me?

Opps, got mixed up, thought you were talking of breeds.

Those wooden hives got binned, they were the traditional Danish 12x10 standard. This year they're in polystyrene hives which are also Danish 12x10 standard. Bit like a Langstroth but with a shorter and deeper frame.

[Drewster]

Are they WBC?
Don't you find them quite time consuming? Do you move them about much?
I use Langstroths..... but only cos my mentor said it was "best".... even though he uses Nationals....

Well, me being threaded, they have to bee Buckfast.

Interesting book if you're into that kind of thing.

Forgot to add if you're interested they run courses at the Abbey. Bee Keeping & Honey

Sorry mate - you've lost me......

I was asking about the Hives -
WBC=William Broughton Carr
Langstroth=Reverend L. L. Langstroth
National=(Well) Modified National really.

I know Brother Adam was well into breeding calm and easily handled bees down at Buckfast Abbey.... all though I think since he died they haven't really continued with his methods....

but I didn't know of such a thing as a Buckfast Hive.....

Your picture looked like WBC's......... perhaps you could enlighten me?

[threaded]

Forgot to add if you're interested they run courses at the Abbey. Bee Keeping & Honey

[minestrone]

Well, me being threaded, they have to bee Buckfast.

The girly texted me to say a patient she seen this morning puts buckfast in his cornflakes. Not the honey kind.

Other than that I have had to open the velux in the kitchen 5 times today to let bumble bees out.

[threaded]

Are they WBC?
Don't you find them quite time consuming? Do you move them about much?
I use Langstroths..... but only cos my mentor said it was "best".... even though he uses Nationals....

Well, me being threaded, they have to bee Buckfast.

Interesting book if you're into that kind of thing.

[Drewster]

I've seen a few ...

Are they WBC?
Don't you find them quite time consuming? Do you move them about much?
I use Langstroths..... but only cos my mentor said it was "best".... even though he uses Nationals....

[threaded]

I've seen a few ...Threadeds' Eclectic Blog: Bee hives

[Drewster]

Oh! I forgot the b*tch that stung me on the finger tip yesterday evening!!!!

I was just putting some empty supers back on (having extracted some Honey) and she pinged me right on the tip of my middle finger......... still She won't do it again!!!

[Drewster]

How many bees have you seen this year?

I saw one a few weeks ago, lying in the road.

Well lets see.....
Hive = Circa 50-70 thousand....
Inspections say 1-4 weeks.....
Lets say 50% out foraging during inspections... so 25-35 thou per inspection....
Lets assume 2 week inspections......
"House" Bees during 1 visit will be foragers by next visit....
so thats 25-35 thou per inspection.... April-Jul circa 12 weeks = 6 inspections = 6 x 25-35 = 150-210 thou
1 x swarm = 25-35 thou (the flying bees)

Lets say 250,000

Plus hundreds of Bumbles....

Oh hang on I visited a mates Apiary.... 6 hives add another 250,000

So over 1/2 a million.....

Hows that?

[Spacecadet]

piccie

Tsk, Mr Larson really doesn't like his cartoons being on the internet

http://www.portmann.com/farside/index.html?home.html

[HairyArsedBloke]

I keep telling ya; they've gone home.