A puzzle

[phill the bee guy]

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I am in contact with a Horse Stable in West central Oregon.
They store their bedding material under cover in a three sided bin that's about 16x16 with a roof.
Its standard sawdust from a local lumber mill. Un-treated.
They have been seen also around some other outbuildings.
For the last 2 months it is infested with multiple hundreds of honey bees. There are two distinct types of workers here.
In warmer days they can be seen fighting the other strain. in colder-damp days they are lethargic.
There is no evidence of a hive within 500 ft. There is apparently a backyard beekeeper within a kilometer.
They can be seen flying in and out of the area in temperature below 50 degrees.

This is a large commercial horse facility. The owner does not want the bees there, but also does not want to kill them with any kind of spray (it would contaminate the bedding)/She is also concerned for the Horses and her clients who are scared of bees.

I have placed a empty hive with sugar water in the bedding bin but they have no interest in it. They are waling on the sawdust and the fir lumber sided walls.
They do not appear to be "gathering" anything, and they are not entering the arena facility next door.
Its almost like the two hives go out in the morning, meet at an agreed upon place and fight it out.

the specks in the photo are bees.

Thoughts?


 

[GSF]

Maybe the type of wood that was cut?

Maybe something in the rinse at the saw mill when the logs/lumber run through?

Pretty interesting.

[BeeMaster2]

The bees are probably collecting propolis. They make it from the sap of trees. They use it to seal the hive, especially when it is cold.
Jim

[rwlaw]

Maybe they're working the shavings for sap (main ingredient for propolis), maybe somebody else can chime in, but i think almond and orange essence is a bee repellant. Maybe check with the stable owners if you can try spraying a area to see if they avoid it.

[rwlaw]

Ya beat me to it sawdstmaker lol

[BeeMaster2]

I just thought there was an echo.

I saw that you were probably typing at the same time.
Jim

[don2]

My bees work the sawdust where I cut my fire wood. I have heard they try to substitute sawdust for pollen' when there is no pollen.????? d2

[Dallasbeek]

Can't be getting many nutrients from imaginary pooen

[splitrock]

I used to find them in the feed trough when we were finishing off some beefs with cracked corn, they gathered the dust. Like don2 said he found them working his sawdust.

I think they just like to work, and if there is anything that resembles what they are looking for when there is nothing out there to get, they will bring that home.

[sterling]

I have seen em work sawdust and dry cattle feed also and I think they are trying to gether it for pollen also.
If they are a bother at the barn you could get some dry pollen substitute put it in a bucket away from the barn and they will go after that and leave the sawdust.

[Michael Bush]

They are looking for pollen and there is none, so they are gathering dust.

[ruchelle]

To RWLaw, if orange and almond repel bees could I use that on ME to discourage bee company when I'm working my vegetable garden.  They can be quite a nuisance but I obviously want them in the garden for pollinating the crops.


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[rwlaw]

Ruchelle, personally I havent used either, I was going by what poeple used to keep bees from returning to cutout sites.
Maybe the bees are attracted to the salt on your skin from perspiration. Try putting out a watering station with some rocks in it (so they won't drown), sprinkle some salt on the rocks a couple times a week, I'll bet they'll be going after that and leaving you alone.
Note, advice is not valid if your gardening clothes are a floral print