Bees adapting

[Mairzy_doats]

My hubby and I are having a debate about where to put this hive. He thinks that if they are around people (i.e., about 25 ft from the house) that they will get used to us being around and adapt, like our cows that now follow us if we walk into the pasture. I think that it doesn't matter if they are nearby or 250 ft away. Am I right? Or do they get used to people's presence and become accustomed to it? Or does it really just depend on if they are a gentle or aggressive hive to start with?

By the way, it doesn't  matter if I'm wrong. I can take it :-D But if he's wrong......all the dishwashing for a week  :evil:  :-D


~mary

[iddee]

In warm weather, when they are foraging, a worker lives 3 to 6 weeks max after taking her first flight. That doesn't leave much time for adapting. You may go into the hive 2 or 3 times during that time. With 1500 or so new bees emerging daily, you will always be with bees that have never seen a human. So what if 30,000 bees don't sting. The 1500 new ones coming out today is more than I want to be stung by.  :shock:

It is the temperament of the bees, not the adapting, that determines their actions and reactions.Both the overall temperament of the strain, and the present temperament, caused be weather, disturbance, ETC.

[Two Bees]

The key is to not have the hives oriented where you are walking into/through their flight path.  I have seen hives closer than 25 feet with no problems. 

Another point.............if they are 250 feet away from you, how are you going to watch them?!  Mine are only about 100 feet away from my deck and I still use binoculars to watch 'em!

[Bee-Bop]

Those that are forging are on the last leg of their life time, the life time of a forger if I remember correctly is about 2-4 weeks, not much time to get to know folks.
Bees dispositions can change for a number of reasons, weather, disturbances, etc. Also don't forget a Queen Bee is bread by a number of drones so her off-spring can vary .

Bee-Bop

[JP]

Generally speaking, bees can care less about who we are or what we are doing. In most cases they are busy doing what they do, oblivious to our desires.

As mentioned, unless stirred up, in a bad mood, or just generally defensive, which some hives just seem to be, it doesn't matter where you place them, they can care less.


...JP

[Pond Creek Farm]

It sounds to me like your husband has a fun week ahead of him.   :)

[Michael Bush]

I don't think bees get used to people.  What you hope for is bees that just don't care.  :)

[Brian D. Bray]

The key is to not have the hives oriented where you are walking into/through their flight path.  I have seen hives closer than 25 feet with no problems. 

Another point.............if they are 250 feet away from you, how are you going to watch them?!  Mine are only about 100 feet away from my deck and I still use binoculars to watch 'em!

I set my chair 10 feet infront of the hives, gatorade in hand, and watch until my butt goes numb,  Can learn about what's going on inside the hive just observing what's going on outside. 

Around my place I'm often used as a rest stop by forage bees returning to the hive....how do I know they're forage bees?  Pollen either in the sacks or covering the bee that went routing down into the flower to get the nectar.

[Two Bees]

Unless you're making a lot of motion (i.e. arms waving, quick movements), bees don't see to care.  I can sit right next to my hives within 2-3 feet and with the exception of an occasional fly-by or check-out, they don't seem to care.  Have never been stung by just sitting there and watching!

[challenger]

I envy those that can spend time sitting & watching their bees. I'd love to find time to do this but there is a huge and intense honey-do flow going on and I can't do much more than read & reply to this forums topics.
One day I'll have to do this-sounds much better than an aquarium and I really enjoy watching an aquarium.
Maybe  I can hollow out a tree and hide inside so the "Queen" doesn't see me goofing off.

[Natalie]

It will be interesting to see how it goes this summer, I have made my bee garden with hives set up only 25 feet from my back door that leads out into the yard which is the way we get out there most often.
If it turns out to be a problem we can use the other door to walk around to the back, just not as convenient.
Although their entrances are facing the house and door I planted shrubs and tall plants around the hives to manipulate their flight path, we will see how successful that is this summer I guess.
Otherwise I can turn them around and they will face the 6 foot fence and fly up and over, the reason I did not do that to begin with is I wouldn't be able to observe their comings and goings near the entrances to the hives.
The only thing I am a little leery of is that I put 2 hives in my vegetable garden, which will require me to garden within a couple of feet of them in one area.
If I have to I can do the gardening early evening while its still light out and they are mostly in their hives, I guess I will figure it out as I go on, the learning curve is a wonderful thing.
May not be the brightest thing to do but I figure I will try it, I wanted to break up the areas where the hives will be and not have them all in one place.
Hopefully those hives will have a good dispostion, actually they all need to or they will be requeened because I have children and cannot tolerate a hot hive.
I have heard of one beekeeper who puts up garden flags in the area of his hives.
The premise is that when the wind blows the flags it will help the bees to get use to sudden movements. I am wondering if anyone has ever heard of that or if their is any basis to it.
I am also wondering if that would just cause them to be on high alert all the time and become more agitated.

[Mairzy_doats]

>Hopefully those hives will have a good dispostion, actually they all need to or they will be requeened because I have children and cannot tolerate a hot hive.>

Couldn't agree more. That is the main reason for our debate. I fear that if they are too close to the house and one of the kids gets stung I won't be able to get them to go outside again for anything. So yes, I hope for bees that don't care.  I'd like them closer, but I'm just worried that I'll regret it later. So...I'm still on the fence about it I guess.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

~mary

[iddee]

Ask Linda about it. Hers are on her patio.

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/