close call

fcderosa · September 21, 2009, 07:03:10 PM

One of those days :-\ I decided to put in the permanant mouse guards from Mann Lake and to switch out some bottom screen boards for maintanance. I got to hive three which is up on cinderblocks. For some reason I gloved up,,,,,,,,,,, and lucky I did. The whole bottom of the screen board was covered in spider webs and in those webs were many pitch black spiders with red hour glasses on their under abdomen. Seven were about the size of a quarter. I know I had them around but I've never seen so many in one specific location before. I think the gloves are now a must for working around the hives :shock: that's one sting you don't want.

Cheryl · September 21, 2009, 10:09:32 PM

:shock: Yikes!

Gena · September 23, 2009, 12:11:58 AM

I found several yesterday also - one under the top cover of the hive. I LOVE my auto-igniter propane torch. :evil: Especially to make the spider egg cases "pop". Be careful of your concrete blocks also.
Gena

poka-bee · September 23, 2009, 01:33:19 AM

Oh MY! I'm glad we don't have those here, just the big fat garden ones. I think all that are left are the females getting ready to lay eggs cause they are humongous & jump up & down when you poke em. Not that I would do such a thing :roll: :evil:
Jody

bee-nuts · September 23, 2009, 02:38:09 AM

What kind of spiders are you talking about?

Cheryl · September 24, 2009, 12:23:18 AM

Quote from: poka-bee on September 23, 2009, 01:33:19 AM
.. jump up & down when you poke em.

I think they do that to shake their prey, to make it harder for a newly trapped insect to free itself... I used to poke a web and watch the spiders "shake it all about", but I don't remember what kind of spider. That was when I was a kid. Fond memories.

scdw43 · September 24, 2009, 01:41:02 AM

When I am moving bees in warm weather and reaching under hives I have my gloves. We have rattlesnakes and copperheads that like the sound of the bees. I saw my 6 ft pet blacksnake coiled under one of mine last week. I worked the hive and he never moved an inch. Came back by the hive an hour later he was still laid up in the same spot. I keep him around for mice.

alflyguy · September 24, 2009, 11:41:32 AM

Quote from: bee-nuts on September 23, 2009, 02:38:09 AM
What kind of spiders are you talking about?

black widows. They are common in Alabama. If you haven't seen one you are not looking.

bee-nuts · September 24, 2009, 01:05:51 PM

Up here in Wisconsin we don't really have to many poisonous species to fear like in the south. I Know we have black widows but they are pretty rare and I have never seen one in person. Rattle snakes, same thing. We are pretty lucky with that kind of stuff I guess.

alflyguy · September 24, 2009, 02:15:42 PM

We have snakes, spiders and hurricians. You have snow. I can step on spiders.

bee-nuts · September 24, 2009, 02:30:22 PM

Quote from: alflyguy on September 24, 2009, 02:15:42 PM
We have snakes, spiders and hurricians. You have snow. I can step on spiders.

Works for me.