motherwolfgold
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I sat with them for the peak 15 minutes, they were super chill. We didn't get the full show (in Michigan), and they didn't seem to notice at all that something weird was happening with their sun, but I enjoyed it. It's hot and the goldenrod is starting to bloom, my hives are happy. August bees are the best.
greggoid
I really done know what all the buzz was about. Folks just kept droning on and on. I was super confused. I hive no idea what's going on
ErnestoJackson
@yesthebees
gogetahaircutyadamnhippie
Cool pic
HerpDerpelton
phisto
I check mine during the eclipse and they also were like meh.
butterfly88i88
Same
yachifa
glad they bee-haved
ShaunDreclin
"my hives are happy" is the new cream working well, then?
butterfly88i88
I went out and looked at my bees (Calgary,AB) and they were just doing normal bee stuff.
motherwolfgold
Yep, I was really hoping for something out of the norm, but it was still pleasant to hang with them for the eclipse.
VelvetWarhol
Looks like they're mooning the sun.
BuddhasBomb
I don't get all the BUZZ about the eclipse.
NeverCast
#shamelessplug hivemind.co.nz
korntassel
My house was in area of totality, but I had moved my hive just outside of totality I was really wondering how they would have handled it :)
thattheologyguy
Are you from west Michigan?
motherwolfgold
Nope, near Flint.
MachPunchd
Hey me too! Fenton here
thattheologyguy
oh, just wondering. I have some friends that are beekeepers in West Michigan
SomeDetroitGuy
It wasn't that dark in Michigan. It was like a dark cloud moving over the sun. Nothing compared to '94.
AlcoholSugarSaltFat
Just had a strange quality to the light (north of Lansing)
AndrewJames25
Watched it in St. Johns! A weird hazy grey/blue color if anything
SomeDetroitGuy
Crazy - it was a little yellow here.
motherwolfgold
Definitely! Weird and wonderful
ohkayykayykayy
Almost gray, kinda eerie feeling
thisindianajo
In MO (full totality) my dad's bees were pretty active. Like orientation flights.
motherwolfgold
High traffic from mine, as well. They paid me no mind at all, too busy.
JayEnfield
In conclusion: Fuck mites.
motherwolfgold
No joke. But, I had really good results last year by treating every hive with formic acid. 100% survival through winter.
yourCleverUsernamewastaken
Bees did fine out here in Oregon. Im a commercial beekeeper and they didn't act any differently
motherwolfgold
Cool!
TCTom
Old Mission here. Hello fellow Michigander.
monkeybooty
I like how you love our bees
monkeybooty
YOUR bes
monkeybooty
BEES
Rellian
Central Ne here, seeded my yard with clover which has been taking it over, very active with bees as it's blooming. 1/2
Rellian
30 mins before totality they poofed, and were back full force about an hour after.
TransistorRadio
I hate clover yards. I got so many bee stings on my foot by running barefoot through them when I was a kid.
Rellian
Ouch. It's doing a good job of chocking out the weeds, stickers, & crappy grass. Cheaper than tilling and reseeding & creates bee habitat.
Rellian
It's really good ground cover that doesn't require much water or frequent mowing.
motherwolfgold
Clover is soooo good for all the bugs. Grass/lawn requires much more maintenance and does nothing for the eco system
bananatoast
I appreciate this. Yay bees!
theslyredfox
Upvote for the fellow Michigander
motherwolfgold
:)
FleetFootFortune
Where are you in Michigan? I'd like some local honey!
LosPer
Your passion come through in your post @op! :) Nice!
motherwolfgold
:)
Fuchs2711
Wow! Your bees look unbelievable clean and sharp painted! Like, really, really clean lines on their pelt! Is this a special breed? Beautiful
motherwolfgold
They are lovely. I captured a swarm in May, it thrived. The hive beside it was dying with no queen, so I moved eggs from the swarm hive /c
motherwolfgold
into the dying hive and they raised a new queen from the eggs. These are her daughters, from feral stock. The swarm queen is magnificent, /c
motherwolfgold
I am very happy to gift her genetics to another hive. I think the feral bees have a better chance at making it through winter.
lokishadowgirl
i love bees. I've been seeing a lot of dead bubles and honeys and it makes me sad
motherwolfgold
Par for the course, unfortunately. Just plant them some lavender and enjoy the traffic it draws in :)
lokishadowgirl
we've got beebalm
GlutenFreeDihydrogenMonoxide
Nope.
JohnnieBlaze88
Are those Buckfasts?
motherwolfgold
I caught a swarm, and then used the swarm queen's eggs to breed a new queen for this hive, so I don't really know.
JohnnieBlaze88
They look like a Buckfast mix. They dont have many hairs. How's their productivity and aggression?
motherwolfgold
Incredible. The queen I caught with the swarm is the biggest I have seen (7years keeping bees), she lays an insane amount of eggs. Her /c
motherwolfgold
progeny is also very fertile, and both hives are full of brood and honey. Gotten about 40 lbs so far, with another 80 expected.
motherwolfgold
Also, they are pretty easy to work with. Only aggressive if I try to open the hive when rain is on the way.
mstalltree
In totality, the birds would panic a bit because it gets dark quickly. But as soon as it ends, they go back to their business
c0smicj0ker
Yeah I was In the prairie and flock of birds got really freaked and started flying in an almost perfectly concentric circle for a while
motherwolfgold
Super cool, wish I could've witnessed that!
c0smicj0ker
Yeah it was surreal! Say what's up to your bee friends for me ! Lol
c0smicj0ker
And making a lot of noise at the peak (90%) by me. Interesting to see how different animals respond
mstalltree
I guess they worry about finding their way back to their nests etc.
sirscruffsalot
I didn't get to see my bees at the peak but my chickens were all inside at 3. Nice to see MI bees.
THErockinRobin
So funny, i am in MN an my chickens were all ready to go in too.
sirscruffsalot
Mine are only 6 months old, so they are still chicken (musical sting).
motherwolfgold
I was hoping for something strange from them, but they were just doing the usual bee things. Cool about the chickens though!
sirscruffsalot
It wouldn't surprise me that they came back and just hung around at the door. Not sure if it was dark enough for them to call it a day.
morewitches
#justbeethings
bananatoast
YES
SontaranPotatoMan
My chickens all bedded down where they were as soon as it started getting dark. Didn't go back to the coop, just slept in a brush pile.
sirscruffsalot
I've got coyotes around, so mine have a good sized run. They go in the coop at the first hint of dark.
motherwolfgold
Cool!
Av8rgrl
It looks like they're all showing it their butts.
lastminute
Mooning the moon
motherwolfgold
Yep. It's called fanning- they're trying to circulate air into the hive to cool it down
Av8rgrl
You ARE golden! I didn't know they did that. I planted a bee garden at home for my neighbour's hives, but admit I know little about them.
SmokeyTea
Actually, that was more of an old-school thought, They are actually releasing nasonov pheromone to help guide the foragers back home.
motherwolfgold
Interesting! I wonder why they do this more noticeably on hot days
SmokeyTea
Ok, so I was a bit wrong lol. They do both. If their butt tip is exposed, nasonov. If not, ventilating and water evaporation.
motherwolfgold
Ahh, still fun to learn something new. They are incredible and so interesting, I am always learning.