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Nettle infusion in syrup increases brood rearing.
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mochasidamo



Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 13 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

Personally, I think a lot depends on the beekeeper - you dont need to open the hive to see if the queen is laying - if the bees are taking in pollen then you know its for brood therefore you have a laying queen.


More subtle than that: eg. queenless workers with only a frame of stores and no brood still take in some pollen. I see it as quantitative compared with nearby colonies.

Tavascarow



Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall
PostPosted: Fri May 17, 13 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Mistress Rose wrote:


Interesting about the nettle infusion. I suppose in nature, the bees might pick up something from the nettle pollen.

In old books it suggests that bees also pick up nutrients/medication from urine. Any thoughts on this?

Bees will drink the natural infusions from plants (exudates) & probably get some of the benefits as they do from man made.
With urine & animal droppings it's usually the minerals they are after.
The purple emperor butterfly is well known for feeding on dog faeces.
Ironic that one of our rarest & most beautiful insects has such gross dietary habits.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat May 18, 13 5:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We had a purple emperor butterfly attracted down near the gate in the woods by a dead rabbit. It sat on the rabbit, then landed on son because it was a hot day and he had been working hard. Couldn't get a decent picture though, as unless the light is right they just look brown.

You are probably right about the salts bees pick up Tavascarow.

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