Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

[beechanger]

I have read that the wild Bee numbers are dwindling , it would seem at least partly due to the actions of beekeeping, however well meant and how diligently the beekeeping community has tried to prevent this. Is it possible that this could be corrected by creating hives which are simply bee homes, not intended to provide honey or wax, except to the bees themselves. Ideally these should need minimal interference after they are set up, except perhaps to ensure emergency intervention was not needed.
I realise this seems to go against the whole point of beekeeping, unless the point is simply to ensure they reward us with our food which relies on their pollination. This is not an attack on beekeeping, the little blighters can reproduce so vigorously they could fill every chamber that was built for them, so if some of them are used for honey and wax thats fine. But if someone could come up with a hive design that allowed wild bees to just do their thing better than they are now, that would be progress. These could then be placed everywhere they are needed for pollination and simply visited as necessary to keep things cool. At worst they would fly away and make their own colonies. This is way too long already but I have many more thoughts on this if it does not seem too simple and crazy.
_________________
Let the Bees Do it!

[Gary]

Check out the Warré section
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

With being at the top of the food chain comes the responsibility of protecting it! Not the right to destroy it.

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!

[Norm]

Beechanger, the way you are proposing this I believe is not allowed in the USA as each comb has to be removable for inspection for disease. However if they were just pure boxes that contained passing honeybee swarms , and not managed in any way, they would be considered feral.
_________________
Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[wannabee]

Actually, I think that varies state to state. Here in OR, if I have 2 or fewer hives they don't have to be inspected.....not sure if that applies to the property or the bee keeper, something to look into.

Laura
_________________
Wannabee
Portland, OR

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-Benjamin Franklin

[il volpe]

[Gary]

If you put out a suitable cavity and hang a small peice of brood comb in it and Bees happen to move in and you do not disturbe them at all then this is now a wild colony put it near your garden lean a wheel barrel up against it and hang a hose on the other side, put your hives on the other side of the property and I bet no one ever sees it.
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

With being at the top of the food chain comes the responsibility of protecting it! Not the right to destroy it.

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!

[mrwizard]

going through the older posts now.

this one is a tough call. as i read the ohio regs, they really say nothing about management of the hive as a prerequisite for the fee and inspection requirement. somehow i don't think the "gosh, golly, i had no idea" thing would work for me, even though i don't want the honey or wax.

i am content to let the bees swarm when they want to, and establish wild colonies when possible. we need to mix up the gene pool some.
_________________
The bees want a hollow tree or log with a small entrance. It is our job to provide that for them.