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Author Topic: Couple of observations from a newbie  (Read 5375 times)

Offline Wombat2

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Couple of observations from a newbie
« on: December 20, 2013, 03:10:40 am »
Last Monday when I robbed the hive I placed one frame between rails on one side of the hive out of sight while I worked from the other side and promptly forgot it ( wondered why I was short ) remembered last night when I got home after dark and went down to look for it - you guessed it - clean as a whistle with still about 10-12 bees hanging around it as well as about 100 sitting at the entrance. But the most interesting this was the 10 cane toads under the entrance looking up for a feed. Went back to the house and got the spray bottle full of Dettol and gave them a wash - guess a night patrol now and then will be in order.

How many bees usually hang about outside the hive at night?
David L

Offline bernsad

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2013, 04:58:25 am »
On a warm night, if a flow is on or the hive is chockers it could be hundreds if not thousands bearding on the outside.

I'm curious, what does the Dettol do for the toads? Apparently toads are quite persistent at getting to the hives, I've seen photos of the climbing chicken wire fences.

Offline Wombat2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2013, 06:43:05 am »
Officially it banned and not to be used  :-X

Unofficially it has been known for years that a squirt with Dettol and the toad drops dead in 2 minutes flat (Well they don't go far!) very very effective - I think it is banned (to discourage use) because they don't know the environmental impact on other frogs and creatures so don't want wholesale spaying of waterways etc.  but load a water pistol or a spray bottle set to squirt and get a direct hit and one dead toad.  :roll:
David L

Offline Lone

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2013, 09:11:31 am »
All methods of eliminating cane toads are apparently banned for cruelty reasons.  I'm not sure how much is law.  Probably cricket and golf are out.  The only method which is supposedly humane is freezing them.  Mind you, it doesn't seem humane to humans who have to put them near their food products; and it requires handling with greater potential for spray in the eyes.  

I personally think it crueller to freeze the blighters seeing as they have obviously migrated to Queensland for the sunny, warm weather; and to cool them down would be like torture or moving to Tasmania or something.  Nothing worse than freezing to death I reckon.

When it's Springtime in the Towers, the chinees are in bloom, the rubbervine's entwining around the lantana too.  I look inside the freezer, hungry for a bite, take out a bag of canetoads, and cook them in the fire.  (To tune of Springtime in the Rockies)

Here's my experience on the warm night.  http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,36333.msg304831.html#msg304831


Lone

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2013, 01:02:02 pm »
Lone,
Have you tried burying a five gallon bucket in front of a hive. May fill up so fast that the  last ones just craw out.  :-D
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 BeeMaster2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2013, 01:03:22 pm »
I suspect that having a built in pool would be a nightmare with these things around.
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 Wombat2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2013, 05:37:49 pm »
It is said there are so many head on collisions in Queensland because both drivers are trying to run over the same cane toad
David L

Offline Lone

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2013, 05:47:38 pm »
Cane toad video

Dazza on Bazza

Offline bernsad

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2013, 06:04:23 pm »
All methods of eliminating cane toads are apparently banned for cruelty reasons.  I'm not sure how much is law.  Probably cricket and golf are out.

Dad used to use the golf method  :-D growing up in Townsville.

Offline amun-ra

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2013, 05:38:06 am »
hahahaha we still do that more fun than golf if ya loose ya toad ya just find another one___hundred
Every day the sun shines and gravity sucks= free energy

Offline Russ

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2017, 03:47:06 am »

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2017, 08:34:19 pm »
Russ,
At first, I thought Hopstop was a joke. I guess not.
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 Russ

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2017, 10:24:50 pm »
Reply - You are correct. If you research the product and the cost of killing per Bazza, then it its obvious there is nothing here for beekeepers. As expert operator of the device, maybe 50 c per Bazza. At the cost of this, only legal option in oz, who would obay the Aussie law and use this product to kill Auzzie aipery densities of Bazza? Zipp! Just another of my 2 cents worth.
Maybe at the end of next year I will get to a Dollars worth, Auzzie Dollar that is.
Cheers, Russ.
Merry Christmas to all Beekeepers who try to do it.

Offline max2

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2017, 12:01:22 am »
I used to get rid of the tods as well. Open one up and see what is inside - I found more SHB than bees. I been thinking about breeding them:)

Offline eltalia

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Re: Couple of observations from a newbie
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2018, 04:36:16 am »
I used to get rid of the tods(sic)as well. Open one up and see what is inside - I found more SHB than bees. I been thinking about breeding them:)

So... you did find bees.
At the height of summer a cool (er) evening will see "Bazza" and
his brethren building a toad pyrimid to get at clustered bees.
Take no prisioners - over e few evenings the numbers can be controlled, never eliminated.

Bill