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I found some plans for a bee hive on the net and am going to start building it. Does anyone know where to get package bees here? Maybe 2 or 3 lbs. There are some places selling queens in Kona but doesn't look like they sell packages. Called all around looking for supplies with no luck also.
We have had a few threads here on people wanting to try bees. Did anyone get it going? Thanks for any info.
Scott
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if you have a bee vac, I can show you where their are a couple wild hives.
setting my soul free....
setting my soul free....
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No one knows how the bee mites got here. I spoke to someone with the state and they said kind of off hand that someone probably sent away for packaged bees. Please check with the Hawaii Beekeepers Association to make sure that you are not inadvertently doing something risky.
I am not trying to discourage you in any way. I want to try beekeeping as well.
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Right now the plan is to destroy, if possible, any wild or feral hive within 5 miles of Hilo in an attempt to eradicate the bee mites from the Big Island. So if you find a wild swarm in that area call the state, don't take it home.
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This guy is a member of the Hawaii Beekeepers Association:
Michael Cummings, Hawaiian Islands Honey Company, POB 10628, Hilo, HI, 96721;cell-808-989-6929, Fx- 966-8985.
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thats why I would like to see someone collect the wild hives I know about. killing off all the wild bee hives makes no sence to me, why not just collect a few bee's from the hive and check for mites. how hard can that be...
setting my soul free....
setting my soul free....
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This is serious stuff. Talk about finding a needle in a haystack. The mights are tiny and in early stages of infestation it would be easy to miss them amongst 10s of thousands of bees. Unfortunately this must be a scorched earth effort. If we succeed in stopping the mites the wild bees can repopulate. If the mites are not eradicated, then experience shows that feral bees will not survive anyway. Only with regular applications of miticides can the domestic bees stagger along and even then they will be under the threat of colony collapse disorder, which seems linked to the mites. The head of the Hawaii Beekeepers Association, Michael Kliks, who said he almost fell to his knees and cried when he discovered the mites a couple of years ago, called for the eradication of ALL bees on Oahu to try to save the rest of the state.
Sorry to be such a downer but if you move bees in the state today without finding out from the professionals whether it is all right, then you are the bees' worst enemy.
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hey mark
so what is their method of irradication? are they going to spray? what effects to other insects, birds ect. will this cause. It seems everytime man tries to control nature, we just screw things up worse...
setting my soul free....
setting my soul free....
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According to this article they are using poison bait stations, they are warning not to eat feral honey within 5 miles of Hilo.
Mark, it seems kind of doubtful somebody would manage to have package bees shipped in, more likely to be used equipment, but who knows.
http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/news/2009-news-re...ary-7-2009
Lostboy, I could make a bee vac, are the hives outside of this 5 mile radius? The hives would have to be in something that could be torn apart to gain access to the combs or it wouldn't be worth while. Also if not within extension cord distance we would need a generator. Would most likely be better to wait for someone to notice a swarm. I will get my hive built and order some equipment and then hope I can stumble across some bees. Thanks for the replys.
Scott
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yes I know of one that is in an abandoned car down by H.P.P. so more than 5 miles from hilo.
setting my soul free....
setting my soul free....
