Re ~ Wilding Honeybees?

[For want of a better word]

Re ~ Wilding Honeybees?

Going to be controversial... so perhaps Mod may wish to move.......

Should we as beekeepers stop removing bees from trees and walls... and cease the sport of chasing swarms to sell to unsuspecting novices etc...

Allowing all the old feral bee sites to be recolonised and even create new ones for them to live unmolested and in peace....

Re # wilding bees into the environment....

Thoughts.

 

[Finman]

Makes no sense. There are enough escaped swarm out there.
And varroa harvest them all.

 

[B+.]

Re ~ Wilding Honeybees?

Going to be controversial... so perhaps Mod may wish to move.......

Should we as beekeepers stop removing bees from trees and walls... and cease the sport of chasing swarms to sell to unsuspecting novices etc...

Allowing all the old feral bee sites to be recolonised and even create new ones for them to live unmolested and in peace....

Re # wilding bees into the environment....

Thoughts.

That's a really nutty idea. Every chimney and loft would be infested and people would start taking senseless risks to destroy them with all sorts of noxious chemicals

 

[bpmurray]

I think they should be removed from buildings, at least from inhabited buildings. However, unless a colony in a tree is a nuisance, they should be left alone. I don't know what the state of affairs is in the UK, but there are very few feral colonies left alive in Ireland, so re-wilding is an important part of regenerating nature.

 

[Newbeeneil]

 

[B+.]

That's a really nutty idea. Every chimney and loft would be infested and people would start taking senseless risks to destroy them with all sorts of noxious chemicals

and...people would worry about them carrying varroa and other pests/diseases.

 

[user 6228]

Research in the the development of tree cavities shows that they take over a hundred years to develop. So given the level of deforestation in N. Europe, the number of nest sites is poor and not likely to get better soon. We could install artificial honey bee nests but I can attest that we really don't know enough about how they use the properties of their nests particularly around the entrance to make a definitive design at this moment.
Any one in the north Hampshire area wishing to donate a colony to help continue this research would be most welcome as I'm hoping to expand the number of test colonies this year.

 

[B+.]

Research in the the develop of tree cavities shows that they take over a hundred years to develop. So given the level of deforestation in N. Europe the number of nest sites is poor and not likely to get better soon. We could install artificial honey bee nests but I can attest that we really don't know enough about how they use the properties of their nests particularly around the entrance to make a definitive design at this moment.
Any one in the north Hampshire area wishing to donate a colony to help continue this research would be most welcome as I'm hoping to expand the number of test colonies this year.

So, your results would be biased and only represent a small area of the country.

 

[user 6228]

So, your results would be biased and only represent a small area of the country.

And they would be biased if only in one country, or one subspecies but one has to start somewhere. And as I am here, I start here and as artificial trees are not small or very light its best not to add miles unless you have a pressing reason.

 

[foghornleghorn]

There are groups over here putting up boxes to give wild honeybees somewhere to live. Don't like the idea

 

[Funny honey]

There are groups over here putting up boxes to give wild honeybees somewhere to live. Don't like the idea

There’s 5 hives in the bottom of a rape seed field nesr where I work I know the hives aren’t ‘worked’ as there is ivy growing All over of them I do wonder wether someone just put them there to let whatever move in and pollinate or if the beekeeper just stopped. But do see bees coming and going all brood and 2 supers. I do wonder what going on inside

 

[Poly Hive]

I would be setting out some bait hives then....

PH

 

[Funny honey]

I would be setting out some bait hives then....

PH

Haha ye thought about that but know who owns the land around. I did think about putting box up a tree on a public footpath (mud track) but don’t know the legal side of all that. Then just thought do I need the extra hives when i plan on increasing my own this year.

So many what ifs and maybes I’ll do that

 

[Ian123]

There’s 5 hives in the bottom of a rape seed field nesr where I work I know the hives aren’t ‘worked’ as there is ivy growing All over of them I do wonder wether someone just put them there to let whatever move in and pollinate or if the beekeeper just stopped. But do see bees coming and going all brood and 2 supers. I do wonder what going on inside

Make contact with the farmer he may be happy for you to take them on, particularly if you bump the numbers up...Be aware though some of those old boxes and frames can just fall apart when you start digging into them

 

[Funny honey]

Make contact with the farmer he may be happy for you to take them on, particularly if you bump the numbers up...Be aware though some of those old boxes and frames can just fall apart when you start digging into them

I’d really like to been watching the area since I noticed the hives there. I’ve got a 6 week baby boy now. It’s our first so don’t know how much/many hives I want to take on now will see how I get on this season hopefully I’ll still be doing this when he’s old enough to come with me!

 

[Ian123]

By all accounts pete had his boys doing the uncapping at 6 months so you had better get the lad in training. My boy has just turned 4 and will be getting a small suit this season. Will also be sending him into show and tell with an observation hive

 

[For want of a better word]

Let alone beekeepering... I think I know the owner.... She just is not into them every five minutes like some suggest!

 

[Funny honey]

Let alone beekeepering... I think I know the owner.... She just is not into them every five minutes like some suggest!

I’m happy for her to carry on as she likes if it is her each to their own I say

The hives if they are spraying out swarms each year and are finding a place to survive they are very unlikely to be coursing anyone a nuisance as it’s basicslly in the middle of nowhere

 

[masterBK]

There may be a shortage of hollow trees for those swarms that no-one admits to losing but plenty of green compost bins which both tree bumbles and honeybees seem to like chosing to make a nest in.

 

[Newbeeneil]

The last swarm I took last year was in a green compost bin just like your pictures. The nice thing about them is that at least the comb is easy to remove!