[southeastflorida]

downtown Fort Lauderdale and some on the beach area.

In other words is the local nectar split between the hives and lets say
I would get as much honey yield out of 2 hives.

At what approx number of hives is there a diminishing return?

 

[JPK]

I don't think you'll ever get a good answer to this in part because you city beeks probably don't realize how much of the "nectar" your bees are bringing in is from trash, soda cans and other non-flower sources.

 

[Noelle]

eeew.

 

[JPK]

I would love to see a chemical analysis of some of the "Honey" from some of our major metropolitan areas......

 

[B Reeves]

unless there is sombody else in your area there is no way to tell, untill you find out yourself, and every year will be different, it is the same out in the country some sites do well with 10 some do well with 40, I would say in general 4 would do fine in your area, how many flowering and irrigated plants are in a two mile area from you? how many hives can you keep there?
Bob

 

[southeastflorida]

I was under the impression the bee died in the field if it consumed too much poison etc. My locatioin is good, the beach one is alongside a park with lagoon etc

 

[BigDru]

Remember, bees will travel great distances for nectar, pollen and water (6 miles). So thinking of nectar sources just in the immediate area is short sighted even in large cities like Ft. Lauderdale. I lived there for a bit about 20 years ago. Its amazing how much and where flowering plants grown down there. Don't think you will need to worry about you bees competing for nectar.

 

[KQ6AR]

I've been to your city a couple times. Seems to me you have things blooming 12 month a year. If there aren't a lot of beekeepers near by you will do fine.

 

[Specialkayme]

bees will travel great distances for nectar, pollen and water (6 miles).

I thought they flew a two mile radius from the hive?

 

[giant pumpkin peep]

I would love to see a chemical analysis of some of the "Honey" from some of our major metropolitan areas......
Today 07:55 AM

I would love to see a chemical analysis of some of the "Honey" from some of our major metropolitan areas......

Are you saying that the honey from the city is no good trash or not as good as anything in the country?

 

[BGhoney]

The closer to there hive they forage the more efficient they are. The farther they travel the longer it takes to make a round trip. They are very efficient in a 1.5 to 2 mile radius, but will travel up to 6-7 if they have to.

 

[sqkcrk]

Are you saying that the honey from the city is no good trash or not as good as anything in the country?

Are you of the opinion that the source of what produces honey is immaterial? I doubt it.

Though I have never kept bees in Ft. Lauderdale, I have noticed that if there is nectar to be had, all the hives get what is available and you could have 20 and you would not see a difference because of competition. Other factors, such as colony strength would make a difference.

Generally speaking, if there is honey to be made then they all get it or they all don't get it. No one can really tell you how many is too many. Only doing so will ever prove it.

 

[JPK]

Are you saying that the honey from the city is no good trash or not as good as anything in the country?

I think my post was very clear in stating that I would love to see a chem analysis of the honey from some of our major metropolitan areas to see what other crap is being collected as "nectar".

Whats implied is a reservation from making a judgement without evidence to support/deny a hunch......that hunch being....crap in.....crap out.....which is why I mentioned places like NY and DC in particular.

 

[sqkcrk]

But, as JPK sorta alluded to, one never knows for sure except thru analysis.

Generally speaking though, since I believe, that bees filter alot of "crap" from the liquid that they turn into honey, that what they produce is still honey. Even by Standards which we are trying to set in NY and have already been set in FL and CA (i think). It's still honey. What variety is another subject.

I don't recall ever seeing bees foraging on soda cans or rotten fruit, like yellow jacket wasps do. But it could happen. Any sweetened liquid that is available to honey bees could be gathered by them. They do go for the lowest hanging fruit, so to say.

I might be more worried about the lead content, then most anything else, except perhaps chemicals from lawns. But according to USDA's Pesticide Database Program honey has very little pesticide residue in it at all. Well below tolerance levels.

 

[southeastflorida]

"But according to USDA's Pesticide Database Program honey has very little pesticide residue in it at all."

I should do homework on this.

 

[FRAMEshift]

I don't recall ever seeing bees foraging on soda cans or rotten fruit, like yellow jacket wasps do. But it could happen. Any sweetened liquid that is available to honey bees could be gathered by them. They do go for the lowest hanging fruit, so to say.

They do. We got a call recently from some folks who run a fresh juice stand downtown. Honeybees were all over the place and since the proprietors are very environmentally conscious, they were not going to spray the bees, as might happen in many places. Instead, they called the local bee association. But as far as forage sources go, this juice stand was really, really upscale. If you amortized the cost, it would be the most expensive honey ever made.

We have an American persimmon tree that dropped a huge crop last year. There was more than we could pick up, and rotted fruit.... along with honeybees... were everywhere.

 

[southeastflorida]

Don't the bees refine and convert most of the nasties out of the initial sugar source? Seems the like the smell of heavy metals etc, would repel them.

 

[sqkcrk]

"But according to USDA's Pesticide Database Program honey has very little pesticide residue in it at all."

I should do homework on this.

asn.usda/pdp

Look for the USDA's Pesticide database Program on their website and ask for data on any food you wish to find info on. Not just honey. Maryann Fraser, of Penn. State, told us about this at teh confrence in Alfred, NY. The Pollinators and Pesticides Symposium.

 

[sqkcrk]

Seems the like the smell of heavy metals etc, would repel them.

It may seem like it, but I don't know why it would. Bees forage on plants that will kill them. So, why wouldn't they forage on something that you and i might not find appealing. What is appealing to or smells good to a bee? Another Thread there, perhaps?

 

[Specialkayme]

The closer to there hive they forage the more efficient they are. The farther they travel the longer it takes to make a round trip. They are very efficient in a 1.5 to 2 mile radius, but will travel up to 6-7 if they have to.

I understand what you are saying, but I have heard otherwise. I have heard the max radius they will fly is 2 miles, while they are willing to go 6-7 away to swarm.

Can you tell me where you got this information? I'd be delighted to know my little girls are heading out further than I originally expected.