THINK ABOUT

"ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN DRIED UP
THE LAST TREE BEEN CUT DOWN
THE LAST WILD FISH CAUGHT
WILL MAN REALIZE YOU CAN'T EAT MONEY"
GHANDI (?)


Bees reared in cities 'healthier'
I’m a constant reader of Beesource Forum and Organicbeekeepers group I find out few days ago an article named: Bees reared in cities 'healthier'
As beekeeper who kept bees on the balcony for few years a can tell you that there is true in this article. Yes, in the town the bees go out more and very morning (I mean 5 am) for nectar. I don’t think that urban bees enjoy higher temperatures as you can see in the photo.
The second article "Bees and flowers decline in step" the author and the researchers are right.
I’m speaking from the point of view of normal man living in this world. In my opinion in last 10 –12 years the climate changed dramatically. Here in Romania we had floods every year. A new meteorological phenomena show up in Romania: tornadoes. It’s enough to look to the news on TV and you’ll see a lot of floods, earth flows, the deserts. are growing. Why? For sure not the bees are the cause for this. For sure climate change and modern industrial farming are factors for this decline. As far as I know there is Kyoto agreement. (Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol) Why the politicians speak about this only when the election time comes?
I don’t want to be a pathetic prophet but for sure the world is on a wrong way. We have to wake up before is too late.
I know that I’m writing only for this blog and nobody pays attention to this. Pity!

No name for this post

Well, It’s not time for summing up my activity but I can tell you that I made roughly what I planned with my bees till now. I made increase, requeened my hives. I rearranged my out apiary. I was happy with this till last week end when I checked my hives. I find a bad queen in one hive, I mean that when you look to brood pattern you can see more drone cells that worker cells. So, something is wrong, the queen has to be change. Thanks God I have spare queens. All I have to unite the 2 colonies.
I know a lot of you are using "news paper method" to unite 2 colonies. We do use this method here too. We do use another 2 way to united 2 colonies.
First one is to rub the top of the frames of the both colonies with onion, and than the colonies can be united with no problems.
Second one is to spray " palinca" over the top bar of the frames of both colonies and than the colonies can be united. Good results.
To be true with you I use the first method. (Onion method TM) more that the second (palinca method TM). What is palinca? You don’t know? You miss a lot. Palinca is drink made from fermented plums. Home-brew. Strong drink.
I’ll let you know what method I’ll use to unite the 2 colonies.
What name to put for this post?

Weeds

I don't use to argue with other beekeepers because: "Ask two beekeepers, get three answers." The subject was about the most important plant for bee. The important bee plants, or trees. For God sake a lot of answers: acacia, lime, and honeydew, sunflower.As far as I can remember I read in Bee Culture few years ago an article wrote by "Older But Wiser" (must be a pseudonym, a pen name) named "Weeds" in witch he said that the weeds are important for bees. I agree with him. I think that the weeds pay an important role, I can say number one. In the spring, when the colony build up and in the autumn to grow brood for winter. When no nectar flow there are the weeds all around. Along the road, near river side the bees can find nectar for their family. Take a look to this Canada Thistle Cirsum Arvense (I'm correct?) the bees do visit them and I think they love them. And for sure they are a lot just look around.What is your opinion?

Rambee

Last 2 days I evaluated all my hive to see how many I’ll winter. I have to think that my apiary is 64 km far from Arad and only in weekend I can look after them. I have to think that the weather can change in matter of hours and I’ll have no chance to work my bees even when I’ll be in the apiary.











Checking the hives I can say that all the hive are OK. All the queens are mated, marked and clipped. I evaluated the stores and I have to buy about 100 kg. Well, it’s summer and the bees have plenty of time to gather some honey.














Well, looking under the hive I had the chance to see a new problem: this is mouse. Mouse guard needed.
For about a week the temperatures are around 33- 35 Celsius degrees. It’s dog days.

Half summer

Half summer
Looking to calendar I realized that a half of the year gone and a half summer gone too.
I’m really happy: I done all plans. Only one unmated queen but I hope that next week end I’ll find her laying.
Well, I’m happy I have spare queens, and I could help a Friend of mine, beekeeper, who lost one queen on mating flight. It’s good to have queens bank.
I’m writing this small article to say “ Thank you Jorn ! “He help me with the computer, so starting for today I can write and use the PC it will work. I have a lot to write so “Thank you Jorn !”