Most of the new colonies were fairly
docile and I could approach with only a hat, getting right up
the ladder to their entrances without disturbing them. One new colony
though was not as polite and no longer having a resident Beekeeper in
Rodeo, I
was on my own in dealing with this hive. Realizing that some form of
protection was required I began mentally inventorying supplies that
were available on the estate to create some form of protection so I
could approach the hive. I realized I had an old flight suit that closed at the wrists and ankles, gloves were no problem, but the head covering stumped me until I realized there was some old screen used to cover the solar collectors to prevent overheating during the summer. Cutting a large piece and folding it in half the edges were secured with PVC tape (as useful as duct tape on the estate). Pulling this on over the wide brim of my hat would keep the bees at bay while I worked. I chose to seal up the new hive entrances during the heat of the day since most bees would be out collecting nectar and pollen so the number of bees inside the new hive would be minimal and provide the best chance for the colonies survival once they moved on. Initially using caulk to seal the entrances it became clear that the bees would chew through this obstruction so stucco was used to cover the caulk and seal the entrances. This proved a successful approach and the bees could initially be seen clustering around the sealed entrance. The next morning only a couple of bees were found around the old entrances, they had moved on to greener pastures or a location on another building I had yet to find.
In an effort to support the bees' and
their important role in the ecology of the high desert landscape, the
Painted Pony Resort is installing a bee box down in the riverbed. This
will provide a permanent location and space for a hive where the colony will have easy access to the wildflowers and other blooming plants, encouraging the continued restoration of the landscape. It will also be a yummy source of honey for guests visiting the estate.
Home made Rodeo bee bonnet |
that is some "selfie" !!
ReplyDeleteI should mention that lots of folks have had trouble with bees lately. The Swap 'N Shop, Roger McKasson Gallery, therefore Eddie Rivers next door and friends of mine north of Rodeo. Lance helped Swap 'N Shop and my friend had a call from Lance's mom with name/number of folks in Animas who would happily come for the bees in her shed. She said she had moth balls in the shed and the bees left on their own. She gave the Animas folks some pure Maple syrup for their trouble.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm not a bee keeper but had to come up with something that would allow me to get close to the one new colony that was not behaving politely so I could deal with them. It seems it is a big year for the bees every where around here. I will remember the moth ball trick that is good to know. The most recent colony at the cabin found its' way inside, through a gap in the molding, and I've been cleaning up lots of dead bees in one bedroom. I have found old bee boxes about a mile south of the estate but last time I checked they were not active, so suitable hive locations are few and far between. I hope that providing a suitable hive box and location the bees will move in there and not the buildings around the estate.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if the bees would have left anyway or whether it was the mothballs but remember mothballs are hazardous to our health!
ReplyDeleteI use moth balls in the garages to keep pack rats out of vehicles which works, so I have the stuff on hand. Since these bees were under the porches, and not a confined space, I don't think moth balls would have worked, but in confined spaces it is a testable idea.
ReplyDelete