Swallows eating bees

[tindam188]

I have recently acquired some bees that unfortunately had swarmed a little earlier so I, at the moment, have no queens in my hive. The problem I am facing is that where my bees are there just happens to be a number of swallows. The last time I went down to see how they were settling in the swallows seemed to be swooping around the hive. I worry that all the flying bees are being eaten but more importantly I worry that the queen may be eaten on her mating flight.

So firstly: will the swallows actually eat the bees or are they just swooping around

Plus: if the swallows are eating the bees is there anything I can do to discourage then eating the bees and most importantly my soon to hatch queen.

Thanks tindam

 

[Steve Dyer]

So firstly: will the swallows actually eat the bees or are they just swooping around

Plus: if the swallows are eating the bees is there anything I can do to discourage then eating the bees and most importantly my soon to hatch queen.

Yes, the normal answer is to invite a large group of friends over with 12-bore shotguns. The theory is that since the swallows are larger than queens or drones, with enough firepower you can take them out without significant loss of bees.

As an alternative, let the bees and swallows get on with their lives and retreat to the nearest pub. Cheaper and less noisy (well, sometimes less noisy)

Steve

 

[tonybloke]

erm, I think it's Illegal to shoot swallows?

 

[Skyhook]

There was a recent thread on this. Basically, people divided into 2 groups- group a)- " no birds except bee-eaters eat bees, and we don't have bee-eaters in this country" and group b) " lots of birds eat bees, I see them do it all the time"

I suggest tossing a coin.

 

[nonstandard]

I have two pairs of swallows and their progeny flying near my hives, I haven't so far lost any queens or noticed any significant loss of bees.

Live and let live, would be my advice

 

[Steve Dyer]

erm, I think it's Illegal to shoot swallows?

Sorry, I should have explained - with a large group of people it's impossible to discover who shot which swallow - it's a cunning plan to confuse the forces of law and order

Baldrick

 

[user 6228]

Buy a quantity of toy helium filled balloons and tether them either side of the bee flight path

 

[Alabamaeee]

After flying here all the way from S. Africa a few bees are not something I would begrudge them.

 

[tonybloke]

Sorry, I should have explained - with a large group of people it's impossible to discover who shot which swallow - it's a cunning plan to confuse the forces of law and order

Baldrick

then I reckon the whole shooting party should be nicked.

 

[Skyhook]

then I reckon the whole shooting party should be nicked.

Or at least arm the swallows, make it more sporting

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe try a new kind of varroa control - sprinkle the bees with chilli powder - after munching on a few of those said swallows will steer clear.
Kill two birds with one stone
Sorry! shouldn't mention killing birds in case people don't see the joke

 

[tindam188]

Anything other than shooting them or killing them, and how many people have actully witnessed swallows eating bees?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As an alternative, let the bees and swallows get on with their lives and retreat to the nearest pub. Cheaper and less noisy (well, sometimes less noisy)

Steve

I think some people must have missed the last piece on Steve's post - it was meant to be a light hearted way of saying there's nothing we can do about it so don't worry too much.
Swallows are protected, I don't think anyone on this forum would advocate shooting them so why fret - the chances of them eating the queen are fairly slim, but again she could get lost on her mating flight - fly into a car windscreen or a myriad other things could happen to her - in the end with beekeeping we tend to leave a lot to mother nature so we just have to leave it to her.

 

[victor meldrew]

There was a recent thread on this. Basically, people divided into 2 groups- group a)- " no birds except bee-eaters eat bees, and we don't have bee-eaters in this country" and group b) " lots of birds eat bees, I see them do it all the time"

I suggest tossing a coin.

Pheasants clear up the dead bees around my hives (Don't give the toads a chance )

VM

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Pheasants clear up the dead bees around my hives (Don't give the toads a chance )

VM

Used to do the same with me but what with yuman rights act and minimum wage it's got a bIt expensive
Oh sorry! |I thought you said PEASANTS

 

[victor meldrew]

Used to do the same with me but what with yuman rights act and minimum wage it's got a bIt expensive
Oh sorry! |I thought you said PEASANTS

BEEN SERFING THE WEB TOO LONG

VM

 

[madasafish]

Pheasants clear up the dead bees around my hives (Don't give the toads a chance )

VM

We're down market here.. it's only the sparrows that have learned to do it since I started keeping bees last year. Funnily enough, we have an explosion in sparrow numbers... I wonder why?

 

[oliver90owner]

we have an explosion in sparrow numbers

Continuing in the vane (or was it an arturry) set by VM and jenkinsbrynmair...

You been blowin' 'em to pieces? (or should that be peaces?) Mite be better than shooting them.

BTW pleese don't comment on the spellin - I couldn't get it enny awfuller!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lol :d

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Aah - think We've inadvertently confused this one with another thread (I hate it when someone says!) a bit of cross pollenation methinks - thats what the bee's do isnt it so would the grocer's apostrophe be OK if we just said B's
or B'
or even just ' ?
Back out to the garden to look at the girl's I think