The "Bee Problem" Is High Fructose Corn Syrup to blame?

[valmom]

you could always capture a swarm for a great source of free bees! it's really not hard if you take the time to read up and you get bees that are already accustomed to your particular environment.


I could just picture me and a swarm! Maybe not!

(or, is that what the baited hives are doing? I had visions of me playing pied piper to a swarm of bees to follow me home )

 

[bibliophile birds]

the baited hives are one way to capture a swarm, probably the easiest for beginners but also the most left to chance.

the more forward way of capturing a swarm involves actively locating said swarm (hopefully conveniently engulfing a low tree branch), carrying a sealed super to their location, smoking them, and then lowering the branch into the box and waiting for the bees to move into the box. pop on the lid, seal, and transport to your chosen location. once settled you unseal the box and hope the bees decide it's a comfy place to stay!

 

[big brown horse]

The bee keeper (ok from now on I'm calling him "my beek") said he is on a list of beeks that the city will call when folks call in to report a swarm of bees.

He said most of the swarms turn out to be wasps, but every once in a while he gets a swarm of bees.

 

[bibliophile birds]

yeah, it's super exciting to capture a swarm, especially your first! after having bees for almost 15 years, i captured my first swarm last summer. it was amazing.

 

[me&thegals]

Got pics of those hives?

Best of luck and keep us updated.

No photos to be downloaded, as I still have my ancient computer and no software for photos, but mine look exactly like the one on this page: http://www.backyardhive.com/, as this is where I got the plans from...

 

[me&thegals]

the baited hives are one way to capture a swarm, probably the easiest for beginners but also the most left to chance.

the more forward way of capturing a swarm involves actively locating said swarm (hopefully conveniently engulfing a low tree branch), carrying a sealed super to their location, smoking them, and then lowering the branch into the box and waiting for the bees to move into the box. pop on the lid, seal, and transport to your chosen location. once settled you unseal the box and hope the bees decide it's a comfy place to stay!

THAT would be super cool!! I was going to get styrofoam coolers and bait with the above-mentioned comb and lemongrass, but my all-time chosen spot to bait has been taken. It was in a tall bluff/cliff and has had bees there for many decades. I'm thinking they would have incredible genetics! However, the relatives who own the land got so excited about beekeeping from hearing us talk about it and fantasizing about baiting their cliff, that they are building 8 topbars and baiting it themselves.

So, back to lazy plan #2.

 

[Sunny]

I dont know much about bee keeping. But my uncle has a hive.. After he harvests the honey. He always keeps some of the honey for feed for his bees. I mean the bees made it to eat it.. Do that is what you should feed them.. But I guess they make more money by selling the honey and feeding the bees cheap yuck stuff.. No wonder their bees are getting sick and die. maybe that is what is causing the bee illness.. They are giving them blocked arteries or something and they have heart attacks.. Hey that was just an example. I have no idea if that can really happen to a bee.. LOL

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Oh, I forgot my original thought that I wanted to post. If GMO corn is used to produce the HFCS, does it contain residue of Roundup that was used on the corn (since that is what GMO corn is supposed to allow more use of)?

That was my point in pointing out that the HFCS comes from GMO corn. There is a good possibility that pesticide residues would end up in the HFCS and that article did not explain where the contaminant in the HFCS originated from . . .