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Show ? DAN DAVIDSON IS NOT afraid of bees - but he is cautious, and wears appropriate clothing mm wmmmmm mem jmt MORE THAN 0JUST mmm&m mmmm tMmmemm mm By GARY R. BLODGETT News Editor ( sS BEES BEGIN TO cluster on frames of hive. I hive when they return from the pollen pol-len fields. If they should return to the wrong hive, it will mean death from the hive guards. When new queen-bee cells are being made, the old (existing) queen knows her days are numbered num-bered and will leave the hive --usually --usually with a few thousand of her swarm will literally make a "Bee-line" "Bee-line" for that new location, Mr Davidson explained. A "strong swarm" of bees will have as many as 75,000 to 100,000 bees. A queen will lay as many as 1,000 to 3,000 eggs per day during her fertile period. If you would like to start a hi ve of queen bee, costing about $10, and three "pounds" of bees, cost unknown. un-known. You can buy a hive and cone frames from $25 to $50, but you will have to install it yourself. Clothing should consist of a veil (mask), hat, gloves and coverall -because bees can and will sting. Basic equipment needed is a hive A swarm of bees will let you know if they are angry-when that sweet-sounding buzz turns to an obvious angry buzzing. workers and locate a new "home," usually in an old tree or attic of a building. When they first leave the hive they will usually travel only a block or two before gathering in a tree to wait for scout bees to go ahead and find the new home. Then tht your own, the first thing to do is to become educated about bees by reading the "A-B-C's of Beekeeping" Beekeep-ing" and all other literature you can obtain. Next, visit a bee company com-pany and learn from them about beekeeping. A new hive can be started with a tool and a smoker. The latter is used to "settle down" the bees as you enter their hive. So there you are; a glimmering of what it takes to be a beekeeper. Here's wishing you a sting-iess hobby. If you want a fascinating hobby, become a beekeeper. It will provide you with a wealth of knowledge as well as a lot of enjoyment, according to Dan Davidson, of Bountiful, who has been an amateur beekeeper for several years. Dan has only one hive now, but he enjoys it as much as the times when he had nearly a dozen hives. "It's a real learning experience," he says, "bees have a lot of natural instinct and the ability to live a rigid, dedicated life." For example, worker bees literally liter-ally work themselves to death in a matter of six to eight weeks. The "Queen Bee" is just that - the queen of the hive and every bee caters to her every need. And the poor old drone literally does nothing no-thing and usually has a short life span because he can not even feed himself. The queen will mate with only one drone and only once in a lifetime. All other drones will per-sue per-sue her and fight for her attention, but only one drone will win-out as the one to fertilize her eggs. Bees are dedicated to their job -that of providing honey, and they will attack someone only if they are being disturbed; if they are hurt; or if you get in their way - even in the direct flight from the fields to the hive, Mr. Davidson noted. But there are a few things bees do not like. They don't like horses or the smell of horses, nor do they like the feel or smell of wool - so beware if you are wearing a wool shirt while horseback riding. They are also disturbed by the wind, even a stiff breeze, and they do not like being out of the hive in weather below about 50 degrees. They will chase you if you disturb dis-turb them and run away, and they will often chase women who are hanging out the wet cothes to dry on the line. A swarm of bees will let you know if they are angry - when that sweet-sounding buzz turns to an obvious angry buzzing. That's when you should watch your step. Bees are dedicated to their home (hive) and will return to that same : vl -jr- fi j : i - PRIMING THE SMOKER before entering hive. PHOTOS BYBoone S. Sayo PAGE DESIGNMarty Lee MR. DAVIDSON EXAMINES frame full of bees for Queen Bee cells. |