bees and swallows
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Many beekeepers have martins, they say that the martins eat very few bees. The bees fly close to the ground, and the martins fly higher, so it doesn't seem to be a problem. I have a bee trap out right now, trying to capture a swarm. I want to try bees.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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James Strickland FL
- Posts: 2249
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
- Location: Reidsville NC
- Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair
I have bees and Martins and they do well together.
PMCA MEMBER
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Mike Coupe
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:11 pm
- Location: Tennessee/Hornbeak
- Martin Colony History: Started in 2001 with one Chuck Abare style 16 gourds rack. The past several years I have three of these gourd racks now. 48 gourds total. Maybe six plastic and the rest natural. Mixture of vertical, horizontal, single and double gourds. Tunnels on most and all sreh holes. Predator guards(bird netting) on each pole. Also have a S&S repeating trap in area. Shotgun and pellet gun help too. Usually all gourds occupied.
I have several beehives and martin housing in my yard. The martin's do not appear to be harming our honey bees. This is my fourth year beekeeping and fifteenth as a PM landlord on my property.
Anyway I was worried when virgin queens go out on their mating flights each day and can last up to two weeks. They look for drone congregation areas. All the males(drones) do is mate and eat honey.Sixty percent survival is average. The past two years it's been hundred percent!
Dragonfly's eat honeybees. Last year one day the dragon flies were darting around my beehives snatching bees. I was also due for a queen bee to take it's first mating flight. Now I'm stressing out. But that morning when I was off work I saw several pm's flying near my hives. I couldn't believe it but the martin's were snatching up the dragonflys!
Anyway I was worried when virgin queens go out on their mating flights each day and can last up to two weeks. They look for drone congregation areas. All the males(drones) do is mate and eat honey.Sixty percent survival is average. The past two years it's been hundred percent!
Dragonfly's eat honeybees. Last year one day the dragon flies were darting around my beehives snatching bees. I was also due for a queen bee to take it's first mating flight. Now I'm stressing out. But that morning when I was off work I saw several pm's flying near my hives. I couldn't believe it but the martin's were snatching up the dragonflys!
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KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Check out this thread. you can also go up to the search bar and put in bees and purple martins to see the other threads on this topic. 
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic ... le+martins
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic ... le+martins
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com