Honeybees

[doctorb]

While I started too late in the spring to get a hive on my property, I met a very nice lady with about 10 years experience who wants to put a hive or two on my property.  I did not want a "professional" honey producer.  I wanted an interested person who will not look at my property as a money maker for them, but a cooperative effort for the both of us, and the bees!  We will start next spring, but have already decided on hive location.  She is experienced at this, and will totally care for the hives.  My wife and I plan to take a course next spring on honeybees offered by the Baltimore County Beekeepers Association.  That way we'll have some clue what's going on.

Anyway, congrats on your harvest!

[Norm]

I have a small patch of sweet corn in the garden behind the house, 1/4 acre or so. Last couple of days the honey bees have been thick on the newly tasseled corn. You walk down there and there's a noticeable hum because of the number of them feeding on the pollen.

[doctorb]

I do have one question regarding the hives......how close can I safely mow to them? 

[Riggs]

I do have one question regarding the hives......how close can I safely mow to them? 

It really depends on the hive, I have a line of roofing shingles in front of, and under mine to keep the weeds down. Still i mow within about 3 feet. You will want to throw the grass away from the hive(s).

Some hives are a tad more agressive than others.

[sandhills]

We used to rent some pasture ground that had a fairly large set up in it and although I wasn't ever mowing around it I could walk right through it checking cattle/fences and was never bothered at all even if the bees were really active.  Guess I've always thought if you don't bother them they won't bother you, someday I'm sure that logic will come back to sting me in the but  :D.

[SPIKER]

over the alst few years I've had several different trees all full of bees at one time or the other, this year they are in  a 24~30" sassafras, about 18~20 feet up.   the tree is hollow in many places and wood peckers or chip monks have opened up holes about 8 of them along the same side.   tree has upper life and appears healthy despite the bees & holes.   it is typical of sassafras of this size to get holes in them from old branches I'm guessing.   had bees in one 5 or 6 yrs back that broke off mid way up above the bees main log si still standing.   anyone know if the bee hive honey/spoils will stain the wood?   big oak in my place had them and hole has grown over now so anything left inside will be staining and or rotting it from inside I guess.

anyhow we had hives as a kid DAD had them though I only got so close as to watch and see how they behaved.

mark

[Chuck White]

over the alst few years I've had several different trees all full of bees at one time or the other, this year they are in  a 24~30" sassafras, about 18~20 feet up.   the tree is hollow in many places and wood peckers or chip monks have opened up holes about 8 of them along the same side.   tree has upper life and appears healthy despite the bees & holes.   it is typical of sassafras of this size to get holes in them from old branches I'm guessing.   had bees in one 5 or 6 yrs back that broke off mid way up above the bees main log si still standing.   anyone know if the bee hive honey/spoils will stain the wood?   big oak in my place had them and hole has grown over now so anything left inside will be staining and or rotting it from inside I guess.
anyhow we had hives as a kid DAD had them though I only got so close as to watch and see how they behaved.
mark

I have always heard that honey will not spoil or go bad unless something is added to it, but in a jar, it is said that it will not spoil.

[sandhills]

Don't quote me on this, but I read where they found honey in one of the pyramids, supposedly over 2 thousand years old and it was just fine  ???.  Don't know but I'd of tried it anyway, I love honey  ;D.

[Riggs]

You are correct, honey will not go bad, it may crystallize (turn back to sugar), but it doesn't spoil. There was honey fount in Tuts tomb.

Spiker, as for staining the wood, my vote would be yes, but I don't know for sure.

[Patty]

The guys that keep the hives near our place do all the weed whacking/mowing around the hives themselves. We stay clear of the hives as much as possible, but we are able to walk past within a few yards with no troubles at all. I am not so sure the sound of a mower would make them happy, and would not want to take the risk. The bees in our garden and all over the flowers are pretty lethargic. So far we have not been stung by them at all.

[SwampDonkey]

Well, I have new residents in my yard maple.  They just swarmed as I was driving in to the garage. Hummmmm!  ;)





As long as they stay out there they will have a pleasant life. If they move to my flu like they did 3 years ago it will be chemical warfare by smoke and not so pleasant. ;D

I have the word out that they are free for the taking.

[bama20a]

We once had a beekeeper from South Dakota that Wintered bee hives on our property.  Our Pecan crops were noticeably larger.  Back during our corn growing era, we always had a couple of bee hives close by.  The phrase "busy as a bee" is well founded.

MM his name wasn't Mccary was it? I've had Bees for years at one time had over 100 stands,But due to work I've had to down size,

[Magicman]

Not only have I forgotten his name, but sadly I have also lost his business card that I carried for many years.

Even if we did not harvest the honey, we still need bees to properly pollinate stuff that needs pollinating.   :-\  Apparently the Oak and Pecan tree pollen provided an early Spring boost for the bees.