TexasMadness
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Location: Austin, Texas
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Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
Yikes, just when I was getting excited about next years beekeeping chores! I really haven't done anything with the hives this year. I was crazy busy in the spring and didn't get new queens in. Then this summer the drought was so bad that the bees were just barely making enough honey to last themselves (selfish buggers weren't making enough to share!). The rains this fall seemed like a great time for a late honey flow but I decided to let them keep their hard earned honey for the winter. But next year, I'm really excited to get going with the fresh and get a bumper honey crop!
BUT, turns out that Texas is being hit hard by "Rasberry crazy ants"...never even heard of them! In 14 counties, they have literally wiped out entire bee colonies. I hope that by the time they march farther north to my county, someone has figured out a good method of dealing with them!
Rasberry Crazy Ants
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10/20/2009, 2:44 pm
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playfultree
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
If you only have a few hives I think I would try putting them on concrete blocks inside a childs wading pool and fill the pool with water.
Maybe place boric soap around the outside of the pool.
Be sure all grasses and plants are trimmed back so the ants have nothing to use as a bridge.
We lost our hive to Barilla (not sure of Spelling) Mites a few years ago.
--- Love and Light
tree
May your journey be full of happiness and blessings
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10/20/2009, 3:35 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
I've seen some hives around here with metal stands whose legs are in cups of water. These ants swarm so terribly that they can great a bridge of dead bodies across the water!!! But a whole kiddie pool would certainly do the trick. I'll will keep that in mind if they make their way up here!
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10/20/2009, 4:20 pm
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de Corbin
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
For us, the honey was down also, but because we had too much rain. I left it all for the winter.
I hope the ants leave your hive alone... sounds like the wading pool idea is a winner.
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10/20/2009, 8:55 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
What horrible pests those ants are!!
I hope that the pool thing works if you choose to do that if the ants come that far up. Good luck with all of that!!!
--- Blessed Be,
~*~ Saijen ~*~
~~*~~ .~~*~~
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10/24/2009, 9:49 pm
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berishell
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Registered: 11-2009
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
Hi I am new to the forum, tried you link to the raspberry ants,and it doesn't work anyway, I was hoping to start a new hive this year, it has been ages since I have been in bees. I think January is a good time to start??? I dunno,will have to see how funds are then. I am much further north than you in the lone star state, but have never heard of raspberry ants...I am afraid my pyrenese dogs would knock a hive over, trying to get in the kiddy pool during the hot weather. would like to hear more about this.
berishell
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11/26/2009, 2:45 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
Oh darn, they took the story down! I'll look around for another article.
I think most places don't ship out packaged bees until Feb or March. I got mine in April when I started - it was a little on the late side, but the apiary was filling orders for the big guys who lost a lot during the colony collapse stuff.
Welcome to the forum!
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11/26/2009, 10:39 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Problem for beekeepers in Texas!
This site has a pretty good description of what the ants are up to.
http://crazyrasberryants.blogspot.com/
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12/2/2009, 8:43 pm
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