Bee keeping in a PM environment

[Goodnature]

I'm wondering if this is a doable endeavor. Both bees and PMs need assistance - but are they compatible? Thanks for your insight!

[Dave Reynolds]

Goodnature --- I sure hope you get some replies to your Question. I have a friend that I would like to get started in building a Martin colony. He tells me that he is afraid that the Martin will eat the Honey Bees that he has. I don't think they will (maybe one or two from time to time) but not the whole bee hive. Anyway thanks for the question, and welcome to the Forum

Dave

[Kevin-GA]

Goodnature-- We had a 15 acre field of squash behind the house last year, right next to our Martin colony. My Nephew had a beekeeper bring in 15 or 20 Bee hives to pollinate the squash. They placed them about mid field and they did their job well on the east end of the field away from the Martins, but seemed to stay clear of the west end near the colony. The Squash didn't do to well near the colony.
I myself was thinking that the Bees would suffer big from the colony being so close, but in late Summer when the beekeeper picked up the hives he said they made alot of Honey and did exceptionally well.

I guess the Bees recognized the threat and stayed clear?

[DebA]

Here's a forum thread from last December on this subject. I remember it because I too have an interest in honey bees.
Deb

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... light=bees

[Matt F.]

Great post Goodnature.
Forum member Bill Pec, who is a Martin landlord, and a beekeeper, posted this great info sometime back, on another thread.
Hopefully Bill, and others will enter in as well.
Here is his post:

You asked if purple martins eat honey bees. Since I'm a long time honey bee keeper and have purple martins I'll take a crack at answering your question. It is reported that martins do eat bees but it is so infrequent that the martin is not listed as a major enemy of the honey bee. It is generally believed that worker honey bees do not make up much of the martin's diet primarily because the hunting style of the martin and the foraging style of the honey bee usually don't often overlap. Martins generally feed at a higher height than worker honey bees usually fly. Thus, it is generally believed that purple martins pose no great threat to honey bees. I've read that purple martins eat the male honey bees (the drones) because the drones congregate in areas called "drone congregation sites" which are often higher in the sky and well within the hunting zone of the purple martins. These congregation sites often remain in the same geographic location year after year and I would think the purple martins would be drawn to these locations to intercept the drones. The young queen bees also seek out these drone congregation areas during their mating flight or flights. The purple martin could pose a threat to a honey bee colony by killing the young queen on her mating flight. Remember, she will rise high into the air seeking out the drone congregation sites. Since martins may find these drone congregation sites and feed on the drone bees it stands to reason that martins might also take the occasional queen bee. If the young queen is killed on a mating flight and there are no eggs or young larvae left in the hive to raise a replacement queen the entire hive is doomed. In a well managed apiary the the loss of the queen would be noticed and the bee keeper could take steps to save the colony. A wild honey bee colony would not be so lucky. Bee eating birds can be a problem for those bee keepers who raise queen bees commercially but I don't know if the purple martin is considered a serious problem for them. Well, there is my convoluted attempt at an answer to your question Hopefully, someone else will chime in and enlighten us both.
There are so many other factors negatively affecting honey bees in North America the possible loss of a few worker bees or a queen honey bee to a purple martin is the least of my worries. Honey bee colonies are dying off at an alarming rate and no definitive causes or solutions have been found. In my area it is not uncommon for a bee keeper to lose 30% of their colonies each year.
By the way, the bee keeper was correct when he told you the bees could not survive in the gourd. The swarm looked so small I doubt it will be able to build up enough in numbers of stores to survive the winter anyway. The only reasons I would collect a small swarm like that would be to keep it around as an insurance policy against the loss or failure of one of my queen bees, start an observation hive for educational purposes or, as in your case, do someone a favor and remove the bees.
Enjoy,
Bill Pec

[DebA]

Bill Pec you rock with information!

Matt F you rock for remembering it! You have a great knowledge of the forum and years of its archives and I don't contribute it all to the Search button. Hope you are warm down there today! We are snow covered, and the winds keep piling the drifts higher. Afterall it is winter in the heartland.

Happy day!

Deb

[Goodnature]

Thank you all for your mental generosity and recall abilities. Net, net - I believe it's worth a try - the Bees I mean. I live in the boonies, at altitude (1300 ft) and it is pure cattle (Black Angus) country. This is my third attempt at PM landlording
(fourth year) and they (PMs) are slowly establishing a colony. Any success I have achieved in the past (OBX - '93) and to date is due primarily to the thoughtful concern and experience of this Forum's members. Thank you!

[Gobbler T]

Go for it Goodnature,
I've been out feeding my bee's today. (Finally warm enough for them to stir about) My bee's are about 35 feet from my gourd rack. I'm not worried about them at all when the martin's return. The bee's are so fascinating. Here's a fun fact for you (I'm allergic!) But I love them!

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

Tony,
I assume that you are just allergic to the bee sting as a local reaction with swelling, itching and discomfort.
I can relate to that type of local reaction personally.
I hope that you are not allergic as an anaphylactic reaction.
I can not relate to any anaphylactic reaction myself. My mother does have an anaphylactic reaction to any bee or wasp sting. Very scary.
Thankfully she survived the two episodes. Epinephrine injection saved her life each time. Once in the ER (first episode and a very close call) and once by an auto-injector called "Epi-Pen". (My father is an EMT.)
As careful as you are about your martins, I know that you are fully aware of your own health and safety.
You mean too much to too many people (and martins.)
Mark.

[Ted n Ms]

I have 30 Hives of bees at two locations. Both places have martins landlords. One is mine and the other is at a friend house. I have seen no risk at either locations.
The bird that most worries me is the Summer Tanager. They are known bee eaters. I see them hanging around my bees in early summer and i try to scare them away when i can.

[Bulldog1]

Interestingly enough, honey bees are not native to North America. Very beneficial, essential to many crops, but not native.

http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcom ... 99OSL.html

[Gobbler T]

4th Gen Martin Fan
Sadly enough, I'm talking about the anaphylactic kind of allergic! I haven't always been allergic to stings, just the last 10 years or so. I've been stung twice also (by wasp) since my allergy started. Hospital trip by ambulance the first time. My bee's have never offered to sting me (YET!) and I'm not afraid of them. I fool with them all the time. Yes I know, It's not a question of "IF" I'll be stung, but when.

In my stupidity defense, I have a greater chance of being stung by wasp at work than at home by my bees. I don't get to wear bee suit at work!

[DebA]

You walk on the wild side, Tony.



Deb