I'm curious about what methods were used to move bees long distances in the old-timey days, such as crossing the ocean on ships or the Great Plains on prairie schooners. How were they fed and cared for?
Hi Hops,
On ships the bees fed off combs of honey. Over land hives were placed on springboard wagons.
Transporting bees by ship:
https://www.facebook.com/Historical...659953472/1516602111727613/?type=3&permPage=1
Skeps were also placed at the stern of the ship and allowed to fly freely. Sometimes the skep would be placed in a water cooled crate placed in the bathroom at the stern of the ship.
The first shipment of bees into California, Harbison had a great deal of trouble with combs melting and losses during transporting.
https://www.facebook.com/Historical.Honeybee.Articles/posts/1114980781889750
Interesting story about why the first shipment of Italian bees into America failed:
In 1855 Wagner and Edward Jessup, of York, Pennsylvania, made an attempt to bring Italian bees to America. The attempt was a failure due, it is reported, to the robbing of the nucleus of its honey by a ship's officer. At any rate, the bees were dead on their arrival for lack of proper provision.
[/QUOTE]This silly question actually came to me in a dream last night.
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Dreaming of Bees? According to Folklore:
Dreaming of bees at work making honey is considered lucky because bees are industrious. If you dream of bees at work, they are bringing you good luck.
To dream of seeing bees, signifies profit to country people.
To dream of bees working or making honey in any part of a house or tenement, signifies to the occupier dignity, eloquence, and good success in business.
This age old rhyme relates the belief that it is good luck to dream of bees happily working and making honey:
“Happy the man who dreaming sees,
The little humble busy bees
Flying humming round their hive.”
But Beware!! Dreaming of Bees Not Happily Working Could be a Nightmare!
To dream of being stung by a bee means a friend will soon betray you.
If you dream of killing a bee you will have great losses.
To dream of bees flying into their hives means you will have losses through enemies.
To dream of bees resting on a house denotes that some evil would befall it, -a sure sign that it will soon burn down.
The person who dreams of bees entering their house will either soon lose their life or suffer some great misfortune.
To dream of bees flying about your ears shows you being beset with many enemies, but if you beat the bees off without getting stung by them, it is a sign of victory over your enemies.
For the rich to dream of bees, is rather unlucky ; but to the poor they denote comfort, affluence, and success.
Pleasant Dreams!