flight range to forage

[gunny]

Think it also dependent on some other factors such as temperature, time of year (how many ours of daylight), wind conditions and probably more.

[Trot]

Yes, the whole 'long flight' profitability depends on a whole lot of other factors.
Bees will load up at home, with sufficient fuel to get to the indicated forage.
Loading up at mid range is not an option.
They know very well that they are at peril if that mid flight supply of food dries up/is not there. (No way forward and no way back)
They will not go the distance if the profit is not feasible?  They are much like us, not willing to work for free.
(one German study had them flying over water -15 kilometers)

This desert thing is not really a fair trial, cause when they have no other forage but the one which is X number of miles away - they are actually forced to fly there for their survival ! If it is at all possible for them to make something of it? 
If they can not safely get there and bring back something for the hive - they will stay home and collectivly starve to death! 

(this desert thing? How and where did they load up at 4-5 miles?)
The guy must of had some sugar waiting for them in the desert?

This kind of studies are best performed in Europe where there are regular periods of dearth and where in some other regions there is plenty of forage on buckwheat, heather and/or two kinds of evergreens - hoja/bor....
On those locations the results are precise and true, cause the honey in the hives can be ascertained with total accuracy as to it's source.

One more thing:
Italians are most happy if they can forage within a mile or two. Closest the better.
Carniolans are known as long distance haulers.  They have better developed sense of navigation of all our bees....

And I hope that the above surprise at distance is genuine..? Otherwise some booster could be available. :-D

[Jerrymac]

I found it,

http://www.beesource.com/pov/traynor/bcjun2002.htm

DISTANCES HONEY BEES WILL FORAGE

Distance from irrigated area   Average change in Hive
(sweet clover and alfalfa)        Weight over 18 days
0.0 miles                                +25.3 pound
0.5                                         31.6
1.0                                         23.3
1.5                                         21.3
2.0                                         18.1
3.0                                         13.8
4.0                                          5.1
5.0                                         -3.0
6.0                                         -6.2
7.0                                         -8.6

[Michael Bush]

I was talking to Dee Lusby's father-in-law the other day and he was talking about how they had to learn keeping bees in the desert that you never put them more than 1/4 mile from water.  Closer is better.  Otherwise they spend so much energy hauling water that they don't make a crop.  :)

From watching bees fly on windy days, I'd have to say bees are very good at working the currents.  They will use the wind when it's to their advantage and avoid it when it's not by flying higher, lower or different routes.  I'm sure this works better in uneven and forested terrain and not as well in flat open areas.

[Jerrymac]

Where does one find water in the desert? I have 20 acres in the desert down close to the Big Bend National Park and unless it has rained recently there is no water.

Around here the bees hug the ground using weeds and grass as wind breaks. I wonder sometimes if they are actually dragging  their legs on the ground they are so low.

[Michael Bush]

>Where does one find water in the desert? I have 20 acres in the desert down close to the Big Bend National Park and unless it has rained recently there is no water.

Where the Lusby bees are there is cattle.  Where there is cattle there is water.  But it's sparse and you need to be close to it.  Most of them are close to some water tank that has a well feeding it and there are boards floating in the tank for the bees to land on.

[Jerrymac]

One guy with money close to my place drilled a well something around 12,000 feet and spent (I think) close to a half million bucks, and never hit water.

There are places closer to the mountains that do get water wells with in 5,000 feet I believe it is. I haven't been down there in a while but I have heard that AHB are nesting in most of the abandoned travel trailers and such down there. And many years ago (1998, 1999) I saw a swarm fly by. I have been thinking of getting down there and see how things are and possibly set up some nives to see what happens.

[JP]

Quote from Jerymac:

I haven't been down there in a while but I have heard that AHB are nesting in most of the abandoned travel trailers and such down there. And many years ago (1998, 1999) I saw a swarm fly by. I have been thinking of getting down there and see how things are and possibly set up some nives to see what happens.
[/quote]

Sounds like the prelude to a good horror flick. And there used to be people down there but they all disappeared, rather mysteriously...Nothing but AHB down there now, maybe I'll go down there and check it out. Nuh uh, no way no how, I ain't gone down there Jerry, you're on your own!

...JP

[Jerrymac]

Nuh uh, no way no how, I ain't gone down there Jerry, you're on your own!

There is a word for that. Let's see now what was it  :?

Oh yeah....

Chicken  :-D

[JP]

Nuh uh, no way no how, I ain't gone down there Jerry, you're on your own!

There is a word for that. Let's see now what was it  :?

Oh yeah....

Chicken  :-D

Actually I was thinking Duck.

...JP