Where's my home?

[Dishmop]

Transfered some frames and bees to observation hive today.

Made a mistake in not covering up the ventilation holes and therefore the hive sat in the garden for quite some time while I waited for them to find a way in thro the mesh.... too difficult for them to find the hole at the bottom..

Nope.... In the end I had to prise a bit of the mesh open so that they could get in........

Slowly the numbers dwindled and I moved the hive to the other side of the garden,, nearer to where the hole in the house wall is, which will be their entrance.

Stood in garden and watched and half a dozen bees started flying around my legs, which was where the hive had been. They couldnt find the hive.. as I moved across the garden they followed me..... so I went and stood next to the hive,,,, and they went into it.

Went back to other side of garden again and the same thing happened..... I did this half a dozen times..... They were not aggresive at all.. I suppose they associated me with the hive and thats why they followed me...

I think they also think the bush I was using is a wasp. As soon as I put it near them they jumped onto it.

 

[Dishmop]

Look at this pic quickly and what do you think you see?

 

[MrB]

Varroa

 

[RoofTops]

Stood in garden and watched and half a dozen bees started flying around my legs, which was where the hive had been. They couldnt find the hive.. as I moved across the garden they followed me..... so I went and stood next to the hive,,,, and they went into it.

Went back to other side of garden again and the same thing happened..... I did this half a dozen times..... They were not aggresive at all.. I suppose they associated me with the hive and thats why they followed me...

If you are making up an observation hive you should do it in the evening and then take it away. It's the old 3 feet or 3 miles rule. Every forager which leaves the obs hive you have made will go back to where they used to live not where their new home is at the other side of the garden.

The colony won't die if it has plenty of stores but it will take time for new foragers to be raised which take their first flight from the new location. But, it is an observation hive so possibly a bit light on stores.

I suggest put it all back together and try again in a few days - although the weather is changing - and as soon as you have made up the obs hive brush any bees off the outside, put it in the car and take it 3 miles plus away somewhere and leave it there for a week. Alterntively, move the hive away for a week and then make up the obs hive and bring the obs hive straight back home. The hive can come back the next day after they have settled down.

 

[oliver90owner]

Dead bees (laying on their backs!).

 

[RoofTops]

And the piccy..bees licking condensation from the glass?

 

[Dishmop]

Dead bees (laying on their backs!).

Not possible. The frame is upright in normal position.

 

[Dishmop]

And the piccy..bees licking condensation from the glass?

Not quite but near....

 

[Dishmop]

Every forager which leaves the obs hive you have made will go back to where they used to live

That was 25 miles away.

 

[colmax21]

Hi,
Moved my bees away from the house (more than 3 miles) as I wanted to locate the hives at the other side of the garden here at home, they were gone for 12 days and when I brought them back home I was surprised that some of the bees returned to where the hives were originally, after 12 days holiday. They did eventualy find their way to the hives now on the roof some 8 feet higher and 12 feet to the west of their original position.

 

[clare p]

They look like a load of bees on a rush hour tube at Victoria (sticking out their tongues)

 

[Tom Bick]

Look at this pic quickly and what do you think you see?

I have stared at the image now for quite some time and my eyes hurt but I can report seeing a palm tree and a dolphin.

The OH looks ok perhaps a bit late for this year but great fun to be had next.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not possible. The frame is upright in normal position.

OK thanks. Were we supposed to know that? You could easily have moved it onto a horizontal surface to take a pic!

I'll try again. You used a flash?

 

[Dishmop]

I can report seeing a palm tree and a dolphin.

Other than those.

didnt you see the exhaust blast from the rocket launch pad that looks like a camera flash?

 

[Dishmop]

They look like a load of bees on a rush hour tube at Victoria (sticking out their tongues)

Just about.

I thought it was varroa at first...but is the flash showing up the tongues more than the naked eye can see.......well my eyes anyway..

Victoria London or Manchester?

 

[Dishmop]

Well, its taken them 5 hours this morning to discover that the access tube is not just a garbage shute....
now they are rushing in and out and have taken the previously dumped rubbish to the end of the path.....

and,,theres pollen coming in.....

 

[Dishmop]

Sorry to keep on about this but,,,, well....

the queen has been giving a public display of egg laying.....

 

[Tom Bick]

Have you left the parent colony Q- or did you raise a queen for the oh

 

[Dishmop]

Have you left the parent colony Q- or did you raise a queen for the oh

I use a 5 frame established nuc.

 

[Tom Bick]

So thats a 4 frame oh