Can anyone tell me what this is

ChippewaBee · April 20, 2007, 01:48:57 AM

My bees where clutching this ball of chewed up bees at the entrance of my hive for dear life. Can anyone tell me why bees would be doing this??
Well I can't post the picture because the site says I could be spamming

Jerrymac · April 20, 2007, 02:28:11 AM

Where is the picture located? Perhaps one of the Admins can help with posting it.

BeeLady · April 21, 2007, 02:31:21 PM

There's a new post under Computer help on posting pictures - explained so easily that even I could do it. Would like to see what you are talking about.

reinbeau · April 21, 2007, 02:37:27 PM

Pictures can only be posted after you've been a member for so many posts - I don't know what the threshold is.

MrILoveTheAnts · April 21, 2007, 03:00:03 PM

One of the Admins simply gave me access after my first post. (Chatting with them in the chat room helped.) From the description it sounds like a lot of bees died somehow: winter, animal attack, disease, and the workers were cleaning house.

Greg Peck · April 22, 2007, 08:02:57 AM

Here is the photo

Greg Peck · April 22, 2007, 08:17:04 AM

I dont know where the chewed up bees came from but I would guess that if the "ball" was in their way several of the bees may have been trying to move it away from the hive. Sometimes they drag dead bees and other trash out maybe it they were clinging to it trying to move it. I dont know for sure what you saw though.

adamf · April 23, 2007, 08:32:16 AM

That looks like a skunk has been dining on your bees.

:(

Adam

Scadsobees · April 23, 2007, 09:28:50 AM

Ditto on the skunk. I think that they will also dine on the dead bees out front of the hive. If the bees seem excited or aggrivated or there are scratches on the front of the hive then you will want to consider some skunk control (aspirin in egg,buried shallowly nearby).

Rick

ChippewaBee · April 23, 2007, 06:26:04 PM

I have been around farms a long time and I have never heard of aspirin in a egg to ward off a skunk. What does it do the skunk?

buzzbee · April 23, 2007, 06:46:13 PM

A top entrance will also deter a skunk since its underside is exposed to the bees when reaching for the top.

BenC · April 23, 2007, 09:25:10 PM

Quote from: ChippewaBee on April 23, 2007, 06:26:04 PM
What does it do the skunk?

Scramble the egg with crushed aspirin. Put it in a little bowl or back in the shell. Place bowl in evening, inspect & clean up next morning. The egg lures them in and makes them eat, the aspirin makes them stop going a few hours later. Keep pets away from it.