New colony swarming. Refuses to stay in hive.

Started by Sagan, January 09, 2019, 05:14:32 AM

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Acebird

It is like CCD, really not known.  Only the behavior is recorded.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

eltalia


Quote from: SiWolKe on January 11, 2019, 02:50:15 PM
Guys, I never had bees absconding.
What makes them do it?

IF one accepts communal bees - or indeed "communal" anything - are aware of a Future and plan accordingly
it is sudden change which triggers flight.
Some observed triggers here (.au) are;
Extended rain period over a poorly sealed hivebody (operator error) - gone within hours of first rays of sunshine.
Greenant attack - unlike other ants here GA go on 'crusades', at _their_ communal decision. Think Viking raids
as a humanised analogy.
Livestock intrusion - shifting cattle into a paddock  holding unprotected hives can be catastrophic.
Toads - Moving a hive to set it down in new location without providing a 450mm (H) stand will see bees gone quicktime.

No doubt there are others - some whisper "spray plane" as an accusatory trigger however having run scores
of hives in pollination tasks I myself cannot confirm spraying crops has the effect of absconds happening.
Classic sign is no uncapped brood, very little honey stores and obvious slack(remiss) housekeeping to
bottomboard (detritus) - and no QC or newly formed cups.

Cheers.

Bill

BeeMaster2

Another reason I think they abscond is Africanized genetics. Bees in Africa have to get up and move when a dry spent starts and follow the food source. They do not/cannot hunker  down for a 6 to 9 month dry spell like our bees do during winter. Here in the states our bees have a lot of Africanized genetics mixed in. When the nectar stops while it is warm, they abscond.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

SiWolKe

Thanks, Bill.

Sawdstmakr,
My bees have monticola genes, hope that does not mean african absconding traits. So I have to keep them satisfied with stores.
:wink:

BeeMaster2

It is the Apis mellifera scutellata that has the genetics that drive it to move when the nectar dries up.
Not sure how close the East African bee?s genetics are to the scutellata.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin


eltalia

Quote from: Sagan on January 11, 2019, 12:43:42 AM
Yep, that sounds like a fairly reasonable plan. I'll put that into action. Than you.

Any new doings?

Cheers.

Bill