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Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter December 2007 |
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Survivor bees? I have been inspecting colonies that were left unattended for 4 or 5 years. Most of the bottoms boards were rotted away. There were big holes in the sides and many boxes were on there sides. The strongest hive so far was on it's side and no bottom board with 2 inch gaps between the boxes that were filled in with comb. I believe in ventilation year round but this was extreme! In the next apiary of 20 colonies, most had been pushed over by cattle 4 were active. I took before pictures but it was very shady not sure how the pictures will print. I did not get any after pictures the last hive was laying sideways when I set the boxes up the bees were not happy. I left twice, when I came back the bees met me each time. I will go back in a week with a full suit and heavy gloves. The next apiary had 18 colonies 8 were active. 2 were weak so we combined them as we inspected them. While we were working we saw a cluster hanging from a bush, we watched a swarm come in and cover an old stack of boxes. We cut the bush and I carried the cluster to the weak hive. The swarm followed us when I shook the cluster off the branch it went in the weak hive and the swarm went in like a vacuum sucked them in, this was Oct. 4 Maybe these bees are not survivor bees just swarms that move in from the woods. I have inspected 4 apiaries of the survivor bees and have 16 more to do. I am sure I will have more stories to tell. Submitted by Delmar Nelson
Annual Meeting Photo Four categories where judged at this years Annual Meeting in Marshalltown. Submitted by Pat Ennis
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