Re: OT:Bees
From: "Carryl M. Meyer" <carrylm@bigsky.net>
The honey bee--the one which most persons raise in hives for their honey
production--has a range of about 3 miles from the hive--
If you pull the frames early, and get Dandelion--the honey is dark (also
Sage is dark)
If you pull the frames later, and the honey is light, might be clover,
Knapweed ( a terrible weed but the honey is good) thistle or other
mid-blooming flowers
Most honey is really very thick--
Commercial honey -by law- can be up to 11% water, so some commercial places
add water and beat it in, to produce the runny honey you buy in stores--
If you really want the good stuff, find a local bee-keeper and buy from
him--
Also--if you have allergies--hay fever--and eat the local honey which was
made from the flowers to which you are allergic, you will then build up an
immunity to what you are allergic to--(also works with local eggs)
Allergies --vaccines--to bees-- there are many different vaccines and
anti-sera shots to many varieties of bees and wasps--i.e.-white headed
wasp, dark headed wasp. white faced bee, dark faced bee, ets--if you are
tested and find out which one you are allergic to, then you can get the
anti-sera and have that with you, so that if you are stung by the one you
are allergic to, you can give yourself the shot and not have a
reaction--most people are allergic to only one or two specie of bees or
wasps--and do not have to worry about the others--
The best way to work in a bee area is--wear red, do not use any scented
soap, hair spray, deoderant, perfume etc--for several days, cover your
hair-especially if it is long or bushy (so the bees do not think you are a
Bear-who is bushy haired) and move slowly and do not disturb the hive--
I have had two hives in the midst of the garden for many years and work
around them constantly--but usually early in the morning--while the hive is
still in the shade and the bees have not warmed up enough yet to be out and
about--
Common scence--and you will have bees that do great things for your
garden!!
All the same applies to wasps, hornets, Bumble-bees, etc--we need them--and
they need us--
Keep with the reports of flowers--I am making new wish-lists every
day--then go out and look at mine--last night twas 18 F, so no growth yet!!
Carryl in western Montana zone 3-4
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