Che Guebee Apiary: Foraging has turned into scavenging

Friday, July 25, 2014

Foraging has turned into scavenging

I can see bee activity slowing down after the Thistles stopped blooming. It seems there is nothing mush left out there in this mono-crop agri-landscape.

Honey bee on Yarrow which is a poor source of nectar and pollen but better this than nothing

Once you see bees working flowers which aren't good sources of nectar and pollen foraging has turned into scavenging. They trying to squeeze all whats left in this locality.

Honey bee working a Tansy flower which is not rich in pollen nor nectar

2 comments:

Patrick SellmanJuly 25, 2014 at 12:45 PM
Du får odla bovete. Blommar länge, tre omgångar.
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What is Natural Beekeeping?

"Natural Beekeeping" is a concept, an idea which springs from a human mind and as such will differ from one person to another, from one culture to another, depending on our limited and conditioned perception about what it IS being a Honeybee. Since natural beekeeping is an idea and not the actuality it is not to be taken rigidly. Instead it is to be directly inspired by the Actuality. But let's avoid going too philosophical about it and let me simply describe how I see "natural beekeeping" benefiting honeybees (these are only guidelines not a dogma);

- free wax comb construction resulting in clean wax and various cell size

- bees overwinter on their own honey stores (feeding sugar syrup ONLY if absolutely necessary)

- lots of peace (low interference from the beekeepers part)

- treatment free (The only way to have a sustainable system of beekeeping is to stop treating, instead making splits from survivor colonies seems the most natural way to me)

- bees are allowed to raise as many Drones as needed (no drone culling)

- natural Queen selection resulting in the strongest Queen (no queen cell culling and only working with local Queens or my own)

- pesticide free bee zone and supporting organic farming (this is a global issue and must be dealt with locally first through environmental organisations and by buying and growing organic food/clothing, etc ...)

- expanding my apiary every year by making splits using Queen Cells from my own strong survivor colonies or catching local swarms. This is the best way to counteract winter losses.

- planting for the bees flowering trees, bushes and plants covering all seasons. Biodiversity is the best healer for the bees and all other creatures.

Natural Beekeeping

Friday, July 25, 2014

Foraging has turned into scavenging

2 comments:

Catching my very first Prime Swarm