# I am worried about no honeybees



## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

We just don't have any honey bees around here this year or last year either for that matter. I had squash and mellons planted last year and they had plenty of blooms on them and spread out pretty but no fruit. I feel now, sense reading all about the bees dieing off the way they are that this was and may be the problem this year also. Between the few types each of cukes, squash, cantalopes, and watermellons, I have over a hundred plants already in the ground and wanted to put about two times as many more in, but I am scared to do it. 

I know it would be laborous, :baby04: , but can you polinate these plants by hand anyway???????? Atleast enough to get some fruit from them if you could do so. 

Any other idea would be welcome.

I know the beans, tomatoes, corn, peppers, etc., do ok by themself but what do we do with the ones that don't with no honey bees???? 
:help: :help: :help:


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## rmaster14145 (Mar 14, 2007)

man i seen this last night. almonds if calis. #1 crop. without honeybees one acre of trees can yield 40 lbs of almonds, WITH honey bees it can yield 2400 lbs of almonds per acre. WOW what a difference the bees make. 

we had a small garden last year along with our first 2 hives of bees. i dont think i ever saw a bloom in the garden without a bee in it. our garden was AMAZING to say the least.

is it possible for you to get just one hive? it is said that your garden will produce at least a 30% increase in yield with bees around. and you get honey to boot  

just a thought

bees are almost maint free. we have bees, chickens and rabbits. the bees are BY FAR the easiest to keep on hand.

rm


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

By the time I have the extra cash to get a hive it will be to late. I wish I could just buy a pound of them for this year and just set them free. From what I have read a be only lives someting like 6 to 10 weeks and the queen is laying eggs within a day or two from when she gets in the hive. I figure the cost of a single pound if they are here when the blooms are out would more than pay for itself, even if they don't reproduce.
I just put my hand in the tiller too many times this spring and got it chopped off, lol. 
I definately intend on haveing a hive next year. I would like to build my own because I am a good carpenter and my billfolds broken, but I can't find and pictures that makes me understand how they are made. I don't even understand the names for the parts. It took forever for the short brain I have to figure out what a nuc was. :shrug: 
DW is going to stop by the liabray monday to try and get some books back she dropped off in thier drop box by accident I had just bought a couple months ago on raiseing chickens. I'll get her to check out some books on beehives at the same time and maybe they will have some drawings I can understand. The weight with the almonds sounds just about where I stood last year with my squash, cantalopes, water melons and whatever else it was. 




rmaster14145 said:


> man i seen this last night. almonds if calis. #1 crop. without honeybees one acre of trees can yield 40 lbs of almonds, WITH honey bees it can yield 2400 lbs of almonds per acre. WOW what a difference the bees make.
> 
> we had a small garden last year along with our first 2 hives of bees. i dont think i ever saw a bloom in the garden without a bee in it. our garden was AMAZING to say the least.
> 
> ...


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

There are plans just a few threads above this one and another free source for complete hive plans is beesource.com
A three pound package of bees w/queen should set you back 70-80 dollars and you are in business......Of course, a wild swarm is free


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## rmaster14145 (Mar 14, 2007)

is there a bee supply close to you? if so buy a few frames...at least 5 , and build a box they will fit in. or go look in the bee supply, or check out a local bee keeper and get the dimentions you need. the bee keepr here makes all of his broods and supers but buys the frames.

rm


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

There is a sticky thread above as David said with pictures and sizes for the hive. You say you are a good carpenter so the box joints should not be a problem, nor would resizing and useing a butt joint.

:shrug: A lot of work but you can pollinate your crops with a paint brush going from bloom to bloom. 
Check with your state Bee Keeping Org. and see if there is a person near yopu that will rent a hive of bees for pollination. I do single deep hives for 2 weeks in apple orchards for $50.00 each.

 Al


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

http://pollinator.com/hand_pollination2.htm


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks a million dcross. That is exactly what I have been worrying about, but wasn't sure if I was right or not. I was more right than I wanted to be. 
This bee kill off is scary, isn't it? I have let the back yard grow up a little where there is clover all over it and still haven't seen anymore honey bees. I guess I have about a hundred and fifty mile trip to make one way or another, if the good lord is willing, that is. There is a man willing to sell me a hive with bees and spend a few hours teaching me what I can learn in that amount of time about them for a fair price and conciderding the fact that we simply aren't seeing any honey bees period, and as large a garden as I already have, I don't see that I have a choise on this one. 
Thanks again for that site. It's really an eye openener. 
Dennis 



dcross said:


> http://pollinator.com/hand_pollination2.htm


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Crafty, 
I'd suggest getting in touch with a local beekeeping group. Beekeepers are often looking for new sites to place hives. You may be able to work out an arrangement to have a couple of hives placed on your property.


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

indypartridge said:


> Crafty,
> I'd suggest getting in touch with a local beekeeping group. Beekeepers are often looking for new sites to place hives. You may be able to work out an arrangement to have a couple of hives placed on your property.


There were on'y two old men around here that sold honey along with thier vegitables at thier side of the road stands. I loved thier veggies and honey also. Thier veggies beat all the others hands down, but they have both passed away without me taliking the time to learn what I should have when I had the chance. I had no idea it was this important or I would have slowed down somewhat. I have no idea where to find a bee group, if there even is one in this area. 
I know sense they have passed away I have stopped finding any fresh honey anywhere it used to be. 
If any of you beekeepers know of a club around Danville, Va., would you let me know how to get in touch with them.
Thanks again.
Dennis


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

crafty2002 said:


> If any of you beekeepers know of a club around Danville, Va., would you let me know how to get in touch with them.
> Thanks again.
> Dennis


http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

no1cowboy said:


> http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/



I'll get in touch with some of them and see wha they have to say.
Dennis


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

You might want to consider Mason Bees. It may be too late for this year, but next year...

http://www.knoxcellars.com/
http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse006/inse006.htm

Pony!


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

Pony said:


> You might want to consider Mason Bees. It may be too late for this year, but next year...
> 
> http://www.knoxcellars.com/
> http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse006/inse006.htm
> ...



Thanks Pony, I read everything I could find on them and it seems like they are mainly for orchards. I would give them a try but they have already sold out for the year. They are only $20 for a tube to get a coloney started and it seems easy enough to make the nesting blocks but it just looks like I am too late for anything short of driving about 160 miles and buying a hive of honey bees. 
The price is more than fair, I think. $125 for a complete hive already set up with bees and queen and ready to go, but I'm not sure I am up to a ride that far. The old truck beats me to death across town and back, lol, but it looks like I don't have a choise if I am going to get much out of the huge garden I have. 
I guess if I could put up with all the pain I have went through getting it to where it's at, I best put up with the ride also. 

I will give the Orchard bees a try next year also. Who knows, If can get a good coloney started with them, I may even be able to start selling them also. 
Looks as if all they do is put the cardbord tubes in a nesting block for them to nest in and then refregerate them until they sell them a tube at a time for 20 bucks each. Sounds like the femalse will lay about 20 of the tubes each, before she dies. 

Thanks for the lead Pony. I had never heard of them before. 
Dennis


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