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Author Topic: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?  (Read 3155 times)

Offline Dallasbeek

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New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« on: April 15, 2018, 06:00:24 pm »
I caught a swarm on April 1 and put them in a 10-frame deep hive body.   Today there was an unusual amount of activity from that hive for a short period of time.  Am I correct that this is way too early to be orientation of new bees?  The other possibilities are robbing by my other hive or possibly signs of absconding.  Any other possibilities?
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline iddee

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2018, 06:12:18 pm »
Maybe an Africanized swarm usurping a weak hive?   :shocked:
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2018, 06:29:45 pm »
Lots of bees going in and out of the hive.  It was a pretty large swarm -- about the size of a volley ball.  Probably from my other hive.  I have been unable to properly tend to either hive as i've been on chemo and feeling really drained.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2018, 06:39:47 pm »
Should I put the entrance reducer back on?  I had it on for about ten days.  Since the hyperactivity lasted only a short time, I doubt it's AHBs usurping the hive.  It has now resumed normal activity level.   Very odd.  According to the Life cycle chart, workere bees should not be emerging from cells for another 9 days or so, even if the swarm's queen started laying immediately after entering the hive..
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline iddee

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2018, 06:51:13 pm »
Seriously, when they swarm, they take all ages with them. Not just foragers. After landing, many bees have to mature. When they reach forager age, they orientate. Just as they would have if they had stayed in the original hive.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2018, 07:13:06 pm »
Thanks, Wally.  I did not know that house bees were capable of sustained flight for any distance.  I guess maybe I was seeing orientation, as they were kind of milling around over the hive.  Now that I have two hives again, my bird bath is back to being a crowded bee watering station again.  There must be about 20 bees on it at any given time.  That really makes me happy, but the birds are not too pleased about it.  So far I haven't seen a bird eating bees.  They land on the bird bath, see it's occupied by little critters and take off.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2018, 07:45:46 pm »
Dallas,
I agree with Iddee about it being orientation flights. Being a new hive, a lot of bees had to be the nurse bees until the new brood hatches. Check them again about the same time, I would expect them to be doing the same. They are getting ready for flying even though the oldest brood has not hatched out. Some of them have to replace older bees that do not make it home.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline eltalia

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2018, 06:44:20 pm »
Ditto, teenager glee at being handed the keys to the pickup.

Without significant deaduns and/or bees locked in combat there
really is no other explanation :-))

Bill

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2018, 09:17:59 pm »
Ditto, teenager glee at being handed the keys to the pickup.

Without significant deaduns and/or bees locked in combat there
really is no other explanation :-))

Bill

Oh, yes.  One other.  The bees in hive #1 put out another swarm 15 days after the first one.  I caught this one, too, so now I have three hives, if I can keep the latest from absconding.  If there's another swarm, I'll  put it in a top bar hive that's ready and waiting.  After that, I don't know what tho do.  I'm still not strong enough to do much with the hives.  Halfway through chemo, with at least three months to go.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline cao

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2018, 10:00:32 pm »
Dallas

Sounds like you got some bees to take care of.  Take care of yourself and get well soon.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2018, 11:40:47 pm »
Dallas,
Three months to go and you are half way through. I feel for you. Hang in there buddy. Are you using one of those new drugs that boost your systems during treatment? If so does it help?
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2018, 06:21:47 am »
Dallas,
Three months to go and you are half way through. I feel for you. Hang in there buddy. Are you using one of those new drugs that boost your systems during treatment? If so does it help?
Jim
I'm being treated for MDS, which is basically a cancer in the bone marrow that prevents the marrow from producing mature red cells, white cells, platelets, etc.  The medicine seems to be working because the red cell and platelet counts have srarted up and the white cell count has stoped falling.  Each round of chemo knocks everything back down for a while before it starts back up.  I've had three transfusions of a total of five pints of blood when I was at my weakest.  Before the transfusions, I'd be exhausted and out of breath after walking a few yards because I didn't have enough red cells to carry oxygen to the muscles.  Now the benefits of the transfusions are unnecessary and I'm okay to walk 100 yards or so because the marrow is producing more good stuff.  The aim of the meds is to get my body to make enough of the good blood stuff to go back to a normal life. 

Sorry, now you know more than you wanted to know about my problem. 

I think I'm at the point where I can assemble some hives, frames, etc., and get on with things.  I'm looking forward to coming to the next bee fest.  I would have been there this year, But I was afraid to be around people because of low resistance to germs in an airplane.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2018, 06:26:50 am »
Thanks, Jim, Cao, and others.  I'm actually doing pretty well now.  The chemo isn't too bad.  I see other people who are really suffering from chemo and I'm just grateful mine isn't affecting me that way. 
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline iddee

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2018, 07:17:35 am »
I hope you continue to improve. I have the opposite problem. I wish I could give you a few pints of blood. My bone marrow is making too many reds. I am taking meds to reduce the reds. They also remove a pint of blood when the count gets too high. Keep getting better and I'll see you at beefest2019.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2018, 07:32:10 am »
Dallas,
I?m glad the chemo is working real well for you without the nasty side effects. You are the first person that I know of that is feeling better with each dose. Keep on trucking. Looking forward to seeing you here at Beefest 2019.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Acebird

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2018, 08:53:59 am »
I would have been there this year, But I was afraid to be around people because of low resistance to germs in an airplane.

If was smart not to come.  I hope you are taking extra precautions on not getting stung.  I am not sure the venom will hurt you as much as a possible infection due to the stinger piercing the skin.  Be safe and we will see you next year.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Online gww

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2018, 10:31:39 am »
Dallas
I somehow missed this but am hopeing you know I have best wishes for you. 
Good luck
gww

Offline paus

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2018, 10:48:49 am »
I am no DR. but I have a personal relationship with the Master Dr. I will ask him to heal you.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: New hive with lots of activity--whassup?
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2018, 12:40:36 pm »
I hope you continue to improve. I have the opposite problem. I wish I could give you a few pints of blood. My bone marrow is making too many reds. I am taking meds to reduce the reds. They also remove a pint of blood when the count gets too high. Keep getting better and I'll see you at beefest2019.

I had the same problem when I lived in Albuquerque.  I think it was the altitude (over a mile high). I gave blood about every 3 months to keep the red cells down. 

Thanks for the thoughts Wally, gww, paus and Brian. 
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

 

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