Siting my hive for mowing

Joe D · March 08, 2016, 10:15:52 PM

I have only had 1 or 2 bees ever buzz me when mowing. One did follow me about 100' and sting, but she was the only one to sting. Usually they don't pay a lot of attention to the riding mower. Just don't have the discharge shoot in their direction. I also try to have easy going bees.
Down here we have to mow often and most of the year.

Good luck to you and your bees,

Joe D

divemaster1963 · March 08, 2016, 11:08:29 PM

I found using those plastic pallets from the beverage company's work great. I put them on top of landscape fabric then place cedar shavings from my mill on top of fabric then the pallets. Grass will not grow for 3-5 years. Plus it somehow helps keep shb down and the moths down. Place the hive few inches back from the edges.

John

BeeMaster2 · March 09, 2016, 12:34:58 PM

John,
I wonder if the Cedar shavings are confusing the SHB enough that they do not enter the hives.
Jim

Acebird · March 09, 2016, 06:03:11 PM

Cedar heartwood is a natural pesticide which is why it works for moths.

divemaster1963 · March 09, 2016, 09:40:55 PM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 09, 2016, 12:34:58 PM
John,
I wonder if the Cedar shavings are confusing the SHB enough that they do not enter the hives.
Jim

I'm no sure. But I'm using Eastern red cedar. But sence that is what is used as natural moth repellant may be the oils also effect shb's. I have notice fewer with it plus the full sun exposure.

John
I started using it when I notice during cutouts when I used cedar as smoker fuel that it drove shb's crazy and made then disorated even hours later. Plus I have five fifty pound contractor trash bags full. I hate to waste things. :tongue
When I plane boards.

Acebird · March 10, 2016, 08:57:31 AM

I would be reluctant to use cedar as a smoker fuel on bees.

KeyLargoBees · March 10, 2016, 09:01:58 AM

Sounds like he has already Ace ....and with no detriment....I am in his same boat in that I have bags full of Teak shavings and they make some very aromatic smoke and while they may not drive the SHB crazy like cedar they sure do burn well and so far no detriment to the bees and there are no signs they bees dislike it any more than smoke from untreated burlap, leaf litter, or twigs (sadly no pine needles available).

Acebird · March 10, 2016, 09:24:45 AM

Quote from: KeyLargoBees on March 10, 2016, 09:01:58 AM
Sounds like he has already Ace ....and with no detriment..

It is hard to tell the long term effects of a non lethal dose of a pesticide when continually used. I stopped smoking over 40 years ago before I had any idea how bad it was for my health. There could be no problem using cedar wood chips for smoker fuel but how would you know?

little john · March 10, 2016, 12:25:25 PM

I use the slum gum left over from wax recovery, mixed in with sawdust and shavings from box making. That mix is almost guaranteed to contain some cedar. As a smoker fuel it can be a bit reluctant to get started, but once going nothing will put it out.

The life of a bee is what ? - six weeks or so - and in that time the average bee gets 'puffed' six times or less. That's hardly a 'continuous exposure' to a sub-lethal pesticide. There's far more exposure to the volatile oil in a newly-built cedar brood box. But - if cedar oil did kill bees, then surely this would have been identified sometime during the last 150 years ? Instead, it remains the No.1 wood of choice for making beehives.

LJ

Acebird · March 10, 2016, 01:14:09 PM

keep in mind that you are burning the chemical not just exposing the bees to the fumes at ambient. My concern is not the bees that will die in 6 weeks it is the brood and specifically developing drones that could pass on bad genes. When an organism is developing is when it is at its greatest risk of health issues. I have no idea how bad burning cedar could be but it is something I wouldn't chance.

Richard M · March 10, 2016, 07:54:40 PM

What do we really know about the impacts on bees of any of the commonly used smoker fuels?

Acebird · March 10, 2016, 09:32:49 PM

I am not sure we do know but smoke has been used since the Egyptians and no data has come forth as being detrimental to honeybees. I am not citing smoke as a problem.

divemaster1963 · March 10, 2016, 11:42:49 PM

I started using it because I have it available to me free. But my uncle had used it ( when he had it available) with his hives back in the sixties when a worked his hives. He never said that he had any problems. But he did have about 4000 hives. The use of smoke is best if used sparingly with any type of fuel. Light indirect puff or two is all that is needed. The bees seem undetected by cedar. Plus the shavings are dry as bone. The piles get rained on then dryer out and bagged so maybesome of the oils are leached out. DDon't know. But I have know quramins about using it I have hive going on 6 years old and they are strongest . this weard winter has taken over 45% of my hives this year. Only my oldest hives and a few of the stronger new hives made it.

John

Dallasbeek · March 11, 2016, 01:30:00 AM

Quramins? What's that, please? That more of that tapatalk lingo? :)

little john · March 11, 2016, 04:06:47 AM

That puzzled me for a moment - I think it's " no qualms", typed with too many fingers !

Having looked-up the combustion products of Cedarwood Oil (which I've discovered doesn't only originate in Cedar Wood - now there's a tale ...) I wouldn't completely dismiss Brian's concerns - but - my own view is that unless there is some convincing evidence that there definitely IS a problem, I can't see any need to be too concerned. Kind of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

And - as all my hives put clouds of bees into the air yesterday (the first proper 'flying day' of this season) confirming zero winter losses - yet again - I don't see that any of my beekeeping procedures currently requires re-evaluation. But - if I was losing colonies in significant numbers, then certainly I'd be examining every possible cause.

LJ

Acebird · March 11, 2016, 08:56:49 AM

Quote from: little john on March 11, 2016, 04:06:47 AM
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

LJ I believe in that too. I use cardboard and God only knows what chemicals are in that and I have thought about that too. However, many people use cardboard if not just to start the smoker. It sure is convenient for quick looks and only needing smoke for one to three hives.

little john · March 11, 2016, 11:21:25 AM

Sure - whatever happened to using cardboard ? During my schooldays I belonged to the Beekeeping Club, and all we ever used to use was rolled-up cardboard - nothing else. If memory serves, the smoke was a little on the hot side, but it didn't seem to cause any problems. Mind you - whether modern-day cardboard is the same as the 1950's stuff is anyone's guess. There were precious few chemicals in regular use back then (let's not talk about DDT ...) - and it wouldn't surprise me if modern stuff is indeed 'dodgy'.

LJ

Acebird · March 11, 2016, 12:31:40 PM

Quote from: little john on March 11, 2016, 11:21:25 AM
the smoke was a little on the hot side,

I throw a handful of sawdust on top to keep it cool. If I need the smoke for a longer time I have to throw more saw dust on it or it will get real hot as the saw dust burns through.

divemaster1963 · March 11, 2016, 09:05:48 PM

Quote from: Dallasbeek on March 11, 2016, 01:30:00 AM
Quramins? What's that, please? That more of that tapatalk lingo? :)

Yep fat fingers and small keypad on 5 inch table. Makes many a person the worst typer in the world.
John

Dallasbeek · March 11, 2016, 11:59:27 PM

So what did the fat fingers mean to write?

"The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on. Nor all your piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all your tears wash out a word of it.". -- Omar Khayam