Beekeeping myths

[eltalia]

Hi Finnman

In some circumstances

Now the thread is turning down the path of conjecture, another online problem.
Finny clearly stated in plain English "IF the queen is able to fly"... so the Fact remains
the queen leaves with a primary swarm.

Where by your own hand you are going to include conjecture in your "collation" then
that there is a huge workload as if say for instance the thread explores the myth "add
a frame of brood to subvert LWS (laying workers syndrome)" the amassed conjecture
over a topic few know much about - 'cos savvy b'keeps know to avoid it - would drive
Yer to drink!
/chortles/

Bill

 

[Antipodes]

That is not really what Finny said. He said "old" queen. It is not a question as to whether or not a queen leaves with a prime swarm but whether it is necessarily the old queen.

 

[Finman]

It is a fact, if the old queen is able to fly.
.

Antipodes is right. If old queen is dead, it cannot swarm.

 

[eltalia]

That is not really what Finny said. He said "old" queen. It is not a question as to
whether or not a queen leaves with a prime swarm but whether it is necessarily the old queen.

Indeed "old" is in there yet not inferring 0ld but Original.
It is that queen whom is called out in the primary swarm.

You are actually bringing notice to why it is more correct to
use "Mother", as it is the Mother of all bees present who is
called out once new 'succession' cells are built and capped.
What then happens with Daughters is up to the bees.

Mother is used in early husbandry pubications, and is still today
common parlance amongst those b'keeps not exposed to
language around that dogma of imperial sovereignty


Bill

 

[oliver90owner]

What a waste of bandwidth on the forum. This carp will be stored for yonks. A total waste of space.

 

[mbc]

Mother is used in early husbandry pubications, and is still today
common parlance amongst those b'keeps not exposed to
language around that dogma of imperial sovereignty


Bill

My shorthand note for a queen is fp (fookin parasite)

 

[Finman]

.
In my country we say "old queen" and " new queen". If it is not suitable to Australia, let it be then.

Did Finni said or that...... Let it be.

 

[For want of a better word]

What a waste of bandwidth on the forum. This carp will be stored for yonks. A total waste of space.

​

I don't bother reading most of it now.... even a waste of effort attempting to correct the myths spread by the carp fishers.......

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

My shorthand note for a queen is fp (fookin parasite)

That is what we have needed.
.

 

[eltalia]

My shorthand note for a queen is fp (fookin parasite)

A notation then attributed to caste within imperial dynasty marking
an appointment moreso than birthright or indeed today, gender.

And buggerall to do with Apis.* honeybees, yeh.

Bill

 

[Anduril]

 

[Antipodes]

Another beekeeping myth, and perhaps the greatest of all:

"beekeeping has many myths"

 

[eltalia]

Another beekeeping myth, and perhaps the greatest of all:

"beekeeping has many myths"

... evidence of cream rising???

Bill

 

[viridens]

Whoops. I posted in the wrong thread....

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Any proper beekeeper knows that the natural reaction to smoke is to ready themselves for a possible evacuation from the forest fire that may be approaching.

Any 'proper' beekeeper would know that this has already, categorically, been proven to be a myth,

Sorry, this is from years ago, but I'm interested.

A quick web search shows that more or less everyone (still) thinks that smoking bees is connected to a fire alert.

I couldn't find anyone rebutting the theory. Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

 

[pargyle]

Sorry, this is from years ago, but I'm interested.

A quick web search shows that more or less everyone (still) thinks that smoking bees is connected to a fire alert.

I couldn't find anyone rebutting the theory. Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

try a

Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

try and find some categorical proof that it is true - there isn't any

 

[JamezF]

A quick web search shows that more or less everyone (still) thinks that smoking bees is connected to a fire alert.

I couldn't find anyone rebutting the theory. Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

It's what I was taught years ago, but as a hypothesis it wouldn't appear to offer much in answer to the obvious questions. For example, if it were to suggest to the bees that their nest was at risk of being burnt down, why would the smoke have the effect of calming them? It's argued that bees can't sting when their crop is full of honey, but is there any evidence for that? It wouldn't really be a very well evolved response to predators would it, if half their flying time when they're collecting nectar or water they're defenceless? And what about all the bees that can't sting anyhow -- the nurse bees and drones, for example? What will they be doing? If the effect of smoking the bees is to get them all to stuff themselves with honey so they can leave, wouldn't you expect them all to be madly rushing about when you open up the hive rather than calm and easy to work with? And if it's true, as I was also taught, that prior to swarming the current queen is slimmed down in order to fly, what chance does she have of flying sufficient distance to escape a fire when she isn't? And if they're going to leave, what actually triggers that? Is it common for colonies to abscond during inspections when the beekeeper overdoes the smoke? I'm sure I was as cack-handed as many when I started out (sometimes I still am when my brain isn't properly in gear) and it's never happened to me.

I know it's also suggested that smoke "disguises" the alarm pheromones, but I'm not entirely convinced by that without further evidence either. My understanding is that bees have specific receptors on their antennae for sensing pheromones so why would they not still be able to recognise them?

It appears that bees don't like smoke though and will try to move away from it if possible. These days that's pretty much the only way I use it: to try to persuade them to move away from an area I'd like them not to be -- all over the top bars of the brood chamber when I'm opening up the hive to do an inspection, for example. I don't puff smoke around the entrance of the hive (as I was also taught to do) before opening up or anything like that. I can't see what it would achieve other than potentially agitating the bees, though I suspect it does very little at all other than perhaps make the bees very close to the entrance withdraw a little into the hive.

James

 

[Murox]

Sorry, this is from years ago, but I'm interested.

A quick web search shows that more or less everyone (still) thinks that smoking bees is connected to a fire alert.

I couldn't find anyone rebutting the theory. Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

don't know about proof but as an animal I can say with confidence that I always move away from any fog like obnoxious smelling choky splutty stuff that drifts my way on the wind. I even go away from rain

 

[Antipodes]

Sorry, this is from years ago, but I'm interested.

A quick web search shows that more or less everyone (still) thinks that smoking bees is connected to a fire alert.

I couldn't find anyone rebutting the theory. Any signposts to the categorical proof please?

It seems from the experiences here down under with bushfires, a colony doesn't flee a fire but rather they stay where they are and burn to death. If that is the case, then I tend to doubt that they " ready themselves for a possible evacuation".

https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43528