Robbing...and into the night...

[JonnyPicklechin]

The hive entrance has been a bit busy and have noticed the odd fisticuffs and some bees carry half head bodies under and away from the hive. I suspect some robbing but reckon my girls are keeping them at bay. Some 20-30 dead bodies but hive seems to be normal at the entrance most of the time as they finish their finals. Any comments on these observations?

Following on I have noticed a lot of noise in the evenings from the hive entrance (like a mini generator) and clustering to one side of the landing board into the night. is this robbing or just them posturing for the potential?

Finally, I'd like to steal one super frame of honey from my super and then remove the Queen Excluder. Sound OK?

 

[bpmurray]

Go ahead and enjoy the honey

Rather than allow the queen free rein on the super, nadiring the super might make more sense, i.e. put the super under the brood box. That way, the bees will move the honey up, and you won't have a cold box above the brood box cooling it down over the winter.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I'm close to you an what you are hearing is a flow. Not many bees left so no need to get excited but you should be able to take some honey. The flow has ended robbing with me at least.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Aha! That would make sense as I noticed the supers were suddenly what I had expected them to be in August.

In August I was getting alot of Himalayan Heather but not much honey or nectar activity in the way of quantity. Mid September to now its been great. Any theories?

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

And is the entrance activity and noise because the flow is strong and they are sounding their intent to potential robbers? Or because the work they are doing in a late flow manifesting in behaviour that creates such noise?

 

[beeno]

And is the entrance activity and noise because the flow is strong and they are sounding their intent to potential robbers? Or because the work they are doing in a late flow manifesting in behaviour that creates such noise?

First bit is house bees clearing dead bees out of the hive. Second activity is bees fanning the water off the nectar which is the engine noise and the posturing is to maximise air flow out of the hive to remove water vapour. Enjoy.

 

[masterBK]

Himalayan Heather?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Himalayan Heather?

...

Himalayan Heather is a small branched tufted shrub which can grow to a foot high. Many stems are clustered together in parallel. Thick lance-like leaves are up to 5 mm long, many, in 4 ranks, overlapping with each other and stem-hugging, making the stems look like green chains.

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Himalayan Heather.html

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Himalayan Heather?

I knew her mother!

Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any relation to Eskimo Nell ?

 

[For want of a better word]

Himalayan Heather?

Possibly
Leycesteria formosa
Himalayan honeysuckle

Everywhere in Devon... even invading the banks of the Greatgreygreengreasytemarriverallsetaboutwithsocialhousing!

Wonder if Exmoor is over 2300M would be ideal for Himalayan Heather

Yeghes da

 

[Obee1]

Possibly
Leycesteria formosa
Himalayan honeysuckle

Everywhere in Devon... even invading the banks of the Greatgreygreengreasytemarriverallsetaboutwithsocialhousing!

Wonder if Exmoor is over 2300M would be ideal for Himalayan Heather

Yeghes da

This temar river - Is it different to the great....tamar river.......
A tributary maybe? Need to be careful. All those social houses could become one big fat ........... Council estate eeeek!

 

[For want of a better word]

This temar river - Is it different to the great....tamar river.......
A tributary maybe? Need to be careful. All those social houses could become one big fat ........... Council estate eeeek!

Breaking news is that Devon Council are going to build one huge estate on the periphery of Tavistock... and extend / reopen the rail link to Plymouth!

Hope they develop on the fields full of OSR at the moment!


Yeghes da

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

I correct my earlier detail:

It is Himalayan Balsam (not heather) I was referring to....

I trust the misinformation did not inconvenience anyone too much..