Is it possible to follow bees to hive?

SGElliott · Post by **SGElliott** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:13 pm

Okay, maybe this sounds stupid, but I'll ask anyway. Is it possible to follow bees from a nectar source to their hive? I had my empty hive boxes and frames out on my porch two days ago, and the worker bees from a nearby hive found them. The boxes were covered up with hundreds of bees trying to rob whatever they could scrounge from the combs.

It made me wonder whether they were from a nearby beek's hive, or a wild nest somewhere nearby. I tried to see their orientation when flying away, but it was hard to make out, there were so many bees coming and going. It seemed that they would fly up about 15 feet or so before orienting and flying away.

Is anyone in the group good at this? Is it hard to learn?

Thanks,
Susan

ski · Post by **ski** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:44 pm

Hey Susan,
I have never tried beelining, just know what I have read and heard. You most likely have been over to http://www.beesource.com/forums/ there are posts there about beelining. At the bee conference this past weekend it was suggested that you could put powered sugar on the bees and they are easier to track.
Theory - If you put some food in a cardboard box let the bees come in and fill up, close the box and move to different places a few hundred yards apart and release the bees they would head back to the hive. Yep, maybe someone with experience can shed more light.

Post by **Wally** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:28 pm

Go to this link and click on the words on each side of the screen.

http://www.bee-quick.com/500/index.html

HAVE FUN!!!

SGElliott · Post by **SGElliott** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:47 pm

Wally, that looks like a ton of fun! I'm glad that people have actually thought about this and there's a name for it--

I might just have to build that nifty box and have a go at it! Did you see it? With all the little sliding doodads for beelining with your captured bees? I may have to put the frames back out and give it a go when the robber girls show up. Too fun! And it's even a sport--

We should sponsor a Beelining Olympics!

Susan

Post by **Wally** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:15 pm

I thought you might get a kick out of it. Yes, beelining is as old as beekeeping, maybe even older. Like Jim said, it may well be man's second oldest sport.

SGElliott · Post by **SGElliott** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:19 pm

Hey Ski!

How does the powdered sugar thing work? I guess I'm wondering how it makes it easier to see the bees-- maybe it just sticks them all together and then you follow the whole wad o'bees to their home???

Susan

SGElliott · Post by **SGElliott** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:27 pm

Check out this website-- this could be better than geocaching! I may have to give this a try sometime soon. Of course, if I follow the girls from my porch, I may end up an one of you guy's houses!

http://www.savethehives.com/fbp/Beelining.html

Susan

ski · Post by **ski** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:03 pm

You just dust the bees with powered sugar so they are white like ghosts thus makeing it easier to follow their flight line.