How Many Bees?

[gwalker314]

2 questions...
How many bees are in 2 or 3 pound package?

What is normally the miniumn # of frames and bees needed with a bought queen to have a shot at making a nuc this time of year in Zone 7 (Central Alabama)?

Thanks,

GW

[hardwood]

A 2-3 pound package should have 2-3 pounds of bees :-D I've been able to nurse small (less than a frame of bees) colonies into booming hives on occasion, but it takes forever...3 frames of bees can be coaxed along a lot easier.

Scott

[iddee]

3500 bees per lb., unless one ate too much. Then 3499.  :-P   :-D

[slacker361]

do bees have anorexia? they go and eat then purge  :ninja:

[AllenF]

Yum, bee puke brand honey is always a household favorite.

[JP]

Yum, bee puke brand honey is always a household favorite.

http://www.beebarfapiaries.com/


...JP

[BjornBee]

We should start a "Worst P.R. Promotion or Marketing Campaign" for bees, and perhaps throw in other industries too!

It would work like this.....

Milk industry...... "Oozing Teat Milk Farms"

Maple syrup industry..... "We Sucked The Trees Dry - Maple syrup"

Cremation business....."Your probably going to burn anyways, so start here!"



I'll withhold on the bee industry entry, as it seems like we already have a winner. Too bad while others are trying to build the bee industry up, others denigrate the industry in my opinion. And yes, I've heard the whole "This is a great way to teach school children", and the other rationale for such things as running around calling honey "Bee puke" or "bee barf". It is shame how many people actually ask about "Is honey really bee puke" in one form or another. I often had wondered why people ask these questions. Who needs PETA or anyone else denigrating our industry. We do a great job ourselves.  ;)

Of course on a bee forum you never know if your chatting with a 6 year old, so please if this is the case, take my comments lightly, coming from a more mature elderly beekeeper, and sometimes "cranky" person. I understand, I once was young and foolish myself. Now I'm just cranky.  :-D

[Finski]

.
1 kg bees is 10 000 bees.  1 kg is about 2 lbs. It depends how much they have honey in stomack, like a swarm has.

2 kg swarm  occupye about one langstroth box = 4 lbs.  That is a good minimum start if you start a hive.

Half box of bees 2lbs has a very slow start.
It depends too if it is a nuc with brood or swarm or package bees.

[Understudy]

In regards to the original posters question.

A three pound package on average has around 8,000 bees. This is the answer I get usually from other beekeepers who make packages and from what I have seen them make that does not sound like it would be an outrageous statement. I will send the question to Dr. Ellis and see if he has a better answer.


In regards to the comment made by BjornBee (and apologies to others for the threadjack)



I have been on this go around with you before. I am well aware of your opinion on the matter of silly names for things in the bee industry. I wasn't to concerned about your opinion on it then and certainly could care less now. I only posted this reply because JP was kind enough to bring it to my attention.

You can rant and rave all you want. Jump up and down on the internet and claim how this is bad for the bee industry. The simple fact is I want you to. Please continue to do so. It is nice to have easy targets to point at when you need to show who are the examples of what not to be in relation to beekeeping. You claim it doesn't build up the bee industry. You are wrong. My Bee Barf plate and silly business cards and outreach have helped to contribute to one of the largest and fastest growing affiliates in Florida.

Also just so you can gain a bit more understanding. Dr. James Ellis head of the Beekeeping program for the University of Florida has himself refereed to honey as bee barf and has no problem with myself or others using silly terms.

You can ride your high horse on the sacred nature of the beekeeping industry all you want. The rest of us are not going to empower you to dictate how we handle beekeeping or it's appeal to others. You can make beekeeping some religious practice all you want. I for one have no need to be brought into the fold of more bogus clap trap. Beekeeping is beekeeping not some higher calling. I have a lot of enjoyment with it, I hope others do too. I like the fact that it contributes to the food we all enjoy and I want it to continue. I want more people to come into beekeeping with a sense of fun and fulfillment without a need for some misplaced emotional attachment to what beekeeping is.

You state it is a shame on how many people ask the question on the nature of what honey is. What is a shame is that you are embarrassed by the truth and can't enjoy the fact that people are at least asking. If you have to wonder about why people ask these types of questions then you really have failed on a personal level to have a decent comprehensive understanding of human nature.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[FRAMEshift]

Sincerely,
Brendhan
"The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible"

Any friend of Dr. Horrible is a friend of mine!  Yeah, I think we all can use a sense of humor... about beekeeping and about life in general.  :-D

[BjornBee]

I must of hit a nerve..... :-D

And to think you said you didn't care what my opinion was. Your reply indicates otherwise...  ;) I am humbled to draw such a reply.

[slacker361]

 :fishhit: :soapbox:

[Finski]

In regards to the original posters question.

a three pound package on average has around 8,000 bees. This is the answer I get usually from other beekeepers who make packages

I looked from real 3 researchings and the answer is that workers bees weight is between  81-140 mg.

Medium weight bees are 90-100 mg.  with these figures one pound has 4500-5000 bees
and 3 pounds  13 000 - 15000 bees

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2406400

After Understudy figures the worker weight is ....pound = 450 g   3 pound is 1350g
In this way the bee weight should be  170 mg   which is out of all measured ranges.

Queen and drone weight is about douple compared to the worker.

[Understudy]

In regards to the original posters question.

a three pound package on average has around 8,000 bees. This is the answer I get usually from other beekeepers who make packages

I looked from real 3 researchings and the answer is that workers bees weight is between  81-140 mg.

Medium weight bees are 90-100 mg.  with these figures one pound has 4500-5000 bees
and 3 pounds  13 000 - 15000 bees

http://www.jstor.org/pss/2406400

After Understudy figures the worker weight is ....pound = 450 g   3 pound is 1350g
In this way the bee weight should be  170 mg   which is out of all measured ranges.

Queen and drone weight is about douple compared to the worker.

I believe you. I am willing take your numbers. I haven't put to many bees on a scale. I am waiting for Dr. ellis to get back to me. However I suspect you are closer to correct then my original amount.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Finski]

.
Look from google. It is there. Of course you may ask Dr. Ellis to look google.

[Understudy]

.
Look from google. It is there. Of course you may ask Dr. Ellis to look google.

Because nothing on the internet is ever wrong. ;)

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Jim134]

I must of hit a nerve..... :-D

                                     :shock:  LOL  :shock:



    BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[gwalker314]

Thanks for the bee numbers...And everything else the topic brought out.  :? :shock:
LOL
GW

[BjornBee]

Thanks for the bee numbers...And everything else the topic brought out.  :? :shock:
LOL
GW

Yeah thanks.  ;)

See what you started.

Troublemaker I say....just a troublemaker!  :-D

[iddee]

Darn it, I guess I have to agree with Bjorn. It's so much more fun when I can argue with him, but some "funny" things are just sickening to me, rather than funny.