Talk:Beekeeping/Frequently Asked Questions

It is said, “if you ask 100 beekeepers the same question you will get 101 different answers.” Though some beepers may disagree with that statement, which does not change the fact that there will be different opinions as to the correct answer to a question. Because of this, hopefully more than one answer may be supplied for each question. If you choose to answer any questions, and I ask that you do if you know the answer, please do not simply remove answers you disagree with, rather add reasons to support your decision and let the module’s reader gather information and decide the best advise to take.

If you have a particular questions that has not been answered within the overall beekeeping wikibook, or a question exists that is not in the faq module of beekeeping, this is the best place to submit it. Hopefully once fully realized, it will be answered in the faq section and be made a part of the ongoing evolution of the beekeeping wikibook. If you desire you may attach a date to your question, and hopefully the oldest questions will be answered first.

Answered questions should be noted or removed from this page and placed to the FAQ section.

Unanswered Questions

 * 1) How can I keep bees away from the flowers and water in my yard? -AlbertCahalan 04:58, 3 May 2005 (UTC)
 * I personally am unaware of any sort of bee repellant, but I will see what I can find out. My best advise is not to plant flowers that are attractive to bees. There is not much you can do in regard to water, other than not letting it stand uncovered. If the simple presence of bees worries you, keep in mind that lightning kills more people than bees do. Once I get around to it, and assuming some one else dose not first, I will write and post an article addressing the issues of the (lack of) danger that bees pose. -Robert Engelhardt 02:36, May 4, 2005 (UTC)
 * Well, that would be wrong. Bee stings can lead to infection. I had to get antibiotics and a tetanus vaccination the last time I was stung. My toe swelled up terribly, over a few days following the sting. Probably I would be dead if I hadn't gotten some modern antibiotics. Had I died, I'm pretty sure the bacteria would have gotten credit for my death, thus underestimating the danger of bees. AlbertCahalan 02:49, 4 May 2005 (UTC)
 * I more specifically, should have said that bee venom as the direct causes deaths less likely than lightning. As true with any wound, infection is possible and secondary effects may occur, which should be treated if necessary. The wound created by a bee sting should be treated as any other wound. In cases where allergies do not exist, it takes about ten stings per pound of body weight to administer a lethal dose of venom. More statistics relating to insect sting deaths can be found here or from the World Help Organization. If allergies are a problem, you should, as I advise everyone with that problem, carry an epinephrine pen. Remember that Epinephrine only treats a symptom and reduces the profusion to your tissues thus reduces swelling and allows your airway to re-open, it does nothing to stop the underlying problem. -Robert Engelhardt 03:36, May 4, 2005 (UTC)

Answer Discussion

 * How is a bee supposed to hold 0.5 mL of necter? That's 1/2 cc. A bee is about 1/4 cc total. They don't bring buckets with them. A hummingbird might, just barely, be able to hold this much. from AlbertCahalan on 20:45, 25 Apr 2005)
 * A full load of nectar may weigh about be about 85% of the body weight of a bee. This may seem like a lot, but bees are more than adequate to complete the task. Keep in mind that an adult bee can easily carry away hive debris many times her size and weight. The only thing that limits the amount of nectar that can be brought back is the size of the bees honey stomach. According to my source, which I now see is wrong, claims that .5 mL is about the size of a drop from an eyedropper. I did not initially see the error as I don't normally use SI, I removed that segment of the answer and hope someone has a better one. --Robert Engelhardt 21:42, Apr 25, 2005 (UTC)


 * Is it better to leave a bee stinger in until a proper tool can be found, or to just crudely squeeze at the stinger immediately? -AlbertCahalan 04:58, 3 May 2005 (UTC)
 * See the answer to the question “I was stung by a bee, how should I remove the stinger?” under the bee stings category. The short and sweet answer is use a finger nail to scratch it out and avoid squeezing the stinger if possible. -Robert Engelhardt 02:36, May 4, 2005 (UTC)
 * Well yes, but the problem is that I don't carry a proper tool with me. My fingernails are often very short. So, do I search for a proper tool or just squeeze the stinger with blunt fingers? AlbertCahalan 02:49, 4 May 2005 (UTC)
 * I too keep my nails rather short, in fact I just clipped them last night. As luck would have it, I was stung this afternoon during an inspection. (I nor any of my family has been stung unless we were directly distressing a bee, in this case I had the hive open and was not paying attention and crushed a bee) The stinger came right out with a flick of the finger. If you don’t have the proper tool, such as a credit card, a knife or even a pen or a business card, you can pinch the stinger between your fingers and remove it. However, doing this you are quite likely to cause more venom to be introduced to the wound. Time is also an issue, as the stinger will both pump more venom, and work its way deeper into the skin if given the chance. Depending on how quickly you can get access to the proper tool may depend on your choice of removal. Also remember that bees leave behind a chemical scent marker when they sting, possibly encouraging more bees to sting the general area, so leave the area, and mask the scent if possible. -Robert Engelhardt 03:36, May 4, 2005 (UTC)