August 04 2022
this particualr weekend, I was about shifting bees about the
rural area - 2 hives at a time to friends rural blocks
this to take advantage of the trees about to flower
if not already flowering near and on their rural blocks - seen Grevillia, some
paperback starting to go white, and though without much value towards bulk
honey production - have you seen a mango tree lately – almost ever single one
is absolutely fully loaded with flower
seems to be a sort of southern spring about to
happen in the Darwin rural area after the period of colder weather
still no signs of anything flower wise at my block
south of humptydoo, at lloyd creek. Two years ago at this time I could fill a
honey super at my block in a few weeks with great tasting honey from the woolly
butts and other bigger trees which hard carpets of fallen flowers around the
ground near them - but not this year.
but Girraween area, or Whitewood rd, or one block
of a friend who backs onto a waterway at Humptydoo – enough flowers for a
couple of hives amongst the rural 5 acre blocks
I am so keen to split all my hives with a double
brood box approach prior to the wet season - taking advantage of this apparent
"flow" that I feel is about to happen - here's hoping!
the People whose rural blocks I am placing hives on
- hope so too, as one hive split from the hives on their blocks - will be for
them with their hive boxes.
Just wish I had more hives, as I could do this on
at least ten more locations. I have no hives left at home after the hive
movements over the last few weeks.
Maybe next year! But maybe the eucalypts will
flower thickly next year, and I can keep all my hives at my block for hive bee
number growth and subsequent splitting!
Just a note:
Drop of a pair of hives at one location last
saturday morning round 8am. Set up stand, placed hives and opened the hive door
– bees orientate, and all is looking good.
But a phone call from block owner at 2pm to say –
green ants all over the hive tearing apart the bees
Bugger! Rookie mistake!!!!
Seems I forgot to grease up the legs of the hive
stand when setting up - so things such as green ants cannot climb up and into
the hives. (This stand didn’t have anti–ant cups etc I usually set up.)
Chaos and stress ensues !!! panic even!
With the bee gear still in the ute - I race over
(speed limits kept for sure!)
I arrive and suit up, as the bees are very much in
defence mode even though I there to help them!
I hose off the hive stands the marching countless
green ants, I brush off the hive entrance of the carpet of green ants all over
the entrance attacking the guard bees. So easy to see 6 plus green ants pulling
the guard bees apart. – not a nice way to go – drawn and quartered -
arrgggghhh!
I clean up a few ant stragglers - wiping them off
by a gloved hand, I profusely grease the hive stand legs - I also once ants
dispersed - open up the hives and wonderfully, no green ants inside the hives!
So lucky the green ants hadn’t got fully into the
invasion mode of the hives. The bees should be ok now.
Lesson re-enforced – prepare properly, expect the
unexpected.
No photos sorry – it was all a bit of a rush and I
totally forgot to take photos!
But still thought I would share.
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