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Post by desertwoman on Mar 23, 2015 10:05:01 GMT -5
Good for you Rexx!!
I'll write to them too.
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 23, 2015 10:13:21 GMT -5
I had to use Facebook which many people seem to think is a bad thing but it came in handy here and also in finding a few of our long time missing posters..
The Fire department does not publish an e-mail address.
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Post by davidjp on Mar 23, 2015 10:40:06 GMT -5
I agree as well, probably wouldn't have been a problem if they'd just left things alone.
I think there is a little more sensitivity in Arizona though due to the Africanisation of their bee population. There seems to regularly be someone stung to death every few years. Not sure what's going on in Arizona as in southern California there is the same issue but as far as I'm aware nobody has been stung to death here and that's with a much larger population.
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Post by davidjp on Mar 23, 2015 14:29:19 GMT -5
Whenever I've done some reading on this issue of bee losses I always seem to get some conflicting reports from either yes its a definite thing to no there have always been periodic problems often referred to as disappearing disease that occur that no one seems to know what the problem is. I also keep seeing this graph which supposedly is from the USDA, I've seen it a few times usually to bolster the argument that the problem is overstated but I really don't know the real answer Originally from an article in Forbes magazine www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2014/02/05/bee-deaths-reversal-as-evidence-points-away-from-neonics-as-driver-pressure-builds-to-rethink-ban/And if you want to go back longer From Randy Olivers site who is a smaller scale commercial beekeeper in California, theres lots of info on his site which would take you a while to go through but it all seems quite well thought out. scientificbeekeeping.com/sick-bees-part-18f8-colony-collapse-revisited-beekeeping-economics/Varroa came into the US in 1987 which seems one of the major problems. My incredibly limited personal experience is that here in southern california there are loads of bees, sometimes literally my whole backyard is humming when a certain tree is in bloom and to my knowledge there are no kept hives in the neighbourhood, although I know of three about a mile away so i guess that could partly be the source. Funnily enough when I go back to England where the bee is actually native I see very few but it seems the deficit is made up by bumblebees which seem very rare here. Strangely enough where I grew up is somewhat famous for a previous disease outbreak called "Isle of Wight disease" which wiped out the honeybee in the island before moving to mainland england and doing the same there. Nobody knew what it was at the time but turned out to be tracheal mites. It was the reason that Brother Adam at Buckfast abbey started his breeding program and developed a resistant bee race called appropriately the Buckfast bee. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/isle%20of%20wight%20disease
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 23, 2015 14:54:51 GMT -5
I received a response from the Phoenix Fire Department that they have great respect for nature and that they are sure that their men would not have taken this step if the public was not in danger. I responded that the occupant of the home was not even home and that they killed those bees just because it was easier. I mentioned that actions speak louder than words and that although I have great respect for firefighters, that this incident reflects very poorly on their department and that it had made national news.
It probably does not make a bit of difference but I feel better for having chastised them for their irresponsible behavior. They should have a list of beekeepers on hand for times like this.
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canadiyank
Blooming
Central WA, Zone 6B
Posts: 125
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Post by canadiyank on Mar 23, 2015 16:58:54 GMT -5
canadiyank, if you really want to have a colony or two of your own bees, you would do well to just buy the gear and order some bees. <snip> Know any local beekeepers? They may be happy to advise you and help you get set up? I have all the stuff. My colony didn't survive the winter. Not interested in a package, mostly due to cost. My FIL is the head of his county's bee-keeping assoc so I am fortunate to have a good mentor! Just talked with him today about it, in fact!
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 23, 2015 17:07:50 GMT -5
This is the time of year when the bees will swarm. Possibly you can pick up a swarm for free.
Give your name to the local fire department and police department as someone who will collect a swarm if they have one reported.
I decided that I do not need any more hives. We have 4 already and last year I got a few names together to call if I should happen to have a swarm. these people are very interested in collecting my swarm if I have one.
Swarms may only hang around for a couple of hours so it's good to plan in advance.
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canadiyank
Blooming
Central WA, Zone 6B
Posts: 125
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Post by canadiyank on Mar 24, 2015 0:41:51 GMT -5
This is the time of year when the bees will swarm. Possibly you can pick up a swarm for free. Yes; that's what I said originally. Not feeling like I'm communicating well today! Ha. Hopefully I'll catch a swarm soon!
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Post by James on Mar 24, 2015 9:58:20 GMT -5
"I have all the stuff. My colony didn't survive the winter. Not interested in a package, mostly due to cost. My FIL is the head of his county's bee-keeping assoc so I am fortunate to have a good mentor! Just talked with him today about it, in fact! " Hope you do find a swarm. Beekeepers try to keep their colonies from swarming. If they swarm, there goes your honey crop. The bees that would have packed the crop just flew off. A package of honey bees is quite expensive, around $100 in this area. A good prime swarm is often more bees than you get in a package, so its worth quite a bit. I lose bees every winter in this harsh climate. I just figure to order packages in the spring and push them for a box of honey. That box of honey sells for $6 a pound. A medium super holds 40 pounds, that is $240 worth of honey. I get my investment back plus $120. They then may or may not make winter, but I really don't care as I have been generously compensated. When bees swarm they will first cluster very near the hive they just left. A beekeeper whose bees swarm, will likely go hive the swarm. My point is that waiting for a swarm to "appear" may be an iffy thing. Where buying a package is a certainty. What has your past experience been in that area? Are swarms likely? Here it is rather rare to find a swarm these days. The foul brood diseases have really beat up the wild bees, reducing their numbers drastically, and beekeepers try to prevent swarming of their own bees by checking them weekly and cutting out queen cells. A swarm can show up anywhere. You need to get the word out that you will come get them. Let people know. Who do people call when they see a swarm of bees? 911 may be a good guess. So call 911 and have them list your name to remove honey bees. Keep in mind though that if you do this you will get some calls to come get bees that have already set up house-keeping in a building. This is a different project than collecting swarms. Good Luck!
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 24, 2015 10:04:25 GMT -5
Yes; that's what I said originally. Not feeling like I'm communicating well today! Ha. You are communicating fine. I just thought that mentioning getting your name out there might increase your chances. I wish I could give you one of mine. I heard back from the Phoenix fire department and they said that there may have been a danger to the public which I explained was not likely. I told them that they should use this incident as a teaching opportunity and invite a beekeeper to one of their meetings. I also suggested that they keep a list of names of beekeepers on file so that they have someone to call when this happens again. Looking for a name AFTER a swarm is reported is not going to work out too well.
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Post by OregonRed on Mar 24, 2015 10:52:26 GMT -5
james, you mentioned bee keepers cut out the queen cells to prevent swarms. well, isn't a swarm natures way of keep UP the population of bees? so in essence, bee keeping is one of the culprits then, for the declining bee population - ? hmmm...
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canadiyank
Blooming
Central WA, Zone 6B
Posts: 125
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Post by canadiyank on Mar 24, 2015 11:25:38 GMT -5
My point is that waiting for a swarm to "appear" may be an iffy thing. Right. It is just an interesting hobby to me...I cannot afford the $95-$110 that packages are going for in this area (actually, that's why FIL called yesterday. He had a buddy selling packages and wanted to know what my plan was). I'd *like* bees, but I don't *have* to have them, so I'm ok with the randomness of a swarm. What has your past experience been in that area? Are swarms likely? My past experience with catching them is nearly zilch - I only observed. And YES, swarms are likely. We are surrounded by orchards and vineyards and there's lots of wild colonies. Last year I personally received four swarm calls here in town, which I was unable to take and passed on to friends. Keep in mind though that if you do this you will get some calls to come get bees that have already set up house-keeping in a building. This is a different Yeah - my bees last year actually came from a cut-out at a friend's house. THAT was a process, holy cow! Fortunately FIL is a builder and so he had all the tools and experience to get the colony out and then patch her house up again. And I have another friend who has a colony set up in a hollow tree in her yard and she said I'm welcome to them, but a trap-out is beyond me at this point, too. You are communicating fine. I just thought that mentioning getting your name out there might increase your chances. Ah, I see what you were saying! (Sorry, I was kind of dense all day yesterday...rough day.) Yes, my name is "out there" locally...I have several vineyardist and orchardist friends keeping an eye out (they're common in the orchards around here), as well as the beeks who I passed on the swarms to last year who are inclined to help me out, as well as my FIL who would capture one for me (he's in the next county south, and there's a town that borders both our counties that for some reason he gets a lot of swarm call to, so that's our plan if something more local doesn't work out). So - here's hoping that one shows up and it's easy to get to, and at a time I'm not working. Ha ha! OH, also, I'm going to set up a swarm trap. Thanks for the encouragement, guys!
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canadiyank
Blooming
Central WA, Zone 6B
Posts: 125
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Post by canadiyank on Mar 24, 2015 11:28:36 GMT -5
Another option is a split from one of FIL's hives, but that's not the direction we're going in right now.
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 24, 2015 11:33:27 GMT -5
Sounds like you are in good shape for getting a swarm this year. I look forward to hearing about it.
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canadiyank
Blooming
Central WA, Zone 6B
Posts: 125
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Post by canadiyank on Mar 24, 2015 11:38:53 GMT -5
Sounds like you are in good shape for getting a swarm this year. I look forward to hearing about it. I've done what I can. But swarms are competitive around here, too, so hopefully I'll luck out. I'll be sure to post pics if it does happen! Thank you.
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