Harvest clean-Up behavior.

[ceebs bailey]

After HoneyLove’s honey harvest workshop a few weeks ago, I put the materials outside for the bees to clean up and enjoy. I put all the wax up on the patio roof and it is like Grand Central Station. There are still dozens of bees on it at any given time during the day. However, I put a plate with about 1/4″ of honey drippings out in the front yard—about 25 feet away—and bupkis. No bees at all. Does anyone know why they would be so interested in the honey harvest wax but not the honey?

[Rob McFarland]

Can’t say for sure why they would prefer the wax to the honey, but I do know that one way to tell if there is pollen/nectar flowing is if the bees ignore a free honey lunch. Their passing on the honey suggests that they are too busy foraging to care. Perhaps the wax retains more of the hive’s pheromones, making it irresistible.

[susan rudnicki]

I do find that if there is much puddling anywhere in a clean up operation, they often fall in and drown or get so covered they are unable to survive. They often seem to mob puddles in such a way that they push other folks in! I find they like the old frames to clean up more than the puddles, maybe because it is easier to access.

[Ruth Askren]

I just read in another forum about why it is that bees seem to love freshly-laid asphalt, that bees seem to be instantly attracted to anything smelly that’s in a rough pile. But if it is smoothed out flat, much less so. ???

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