Bees

[MountainMoon22]

A couple of green gardening questions:

Do carpenter bees chase away honeybees in the garden? I have one snacking on my bench, but I don't want to spray pesticide in the garden and kill everything else.

Does honey from Frederick count as local? I'd been buying from the stand in Hillsboro, but they're building the little market now, so I've been getting it from Wilt's.

And, out of curiosity, has anyone found wild honey around here? I'm not looking to mess with a bees nest, but I'm guessing that there must still be a healthy nest in our immediate area.

[kemeigen]

pat says there is a small apiary off 9 somewhere on the way to martinsburg. we have some of their honey, but i forget what it's called.

we buy a lot of honey from The Bee Folks in Mt. Airy, not sure if that's considered local given that it's further than frederick.

you changed your name.

[LFE]

I have seen a sign on Bitner rd (it cuts off that Sheetz traffic light by the end of old/new 9).
Never stopped... don't really eat honey.... like it, but not enough to buy any somewhere.


pat says there is a small apiary off 9 somewhere on the way to martinsburg. we have some of their honey, but i forget what it's called.

we buy a lot of honey from The Bee Folks in Mt. Airy, not sure if that's considered local given that it's further than frederick.

you changed your name.

[Willis]

And, out of curiosity, has anyone found wild honey around here? I'm not looking to mess with a bees nest, but I'm guessing that there must still be a healthy nest in our immediate area.

Over the many moons I've been here I've seen hives is quite a few trees and unfortunately (for the bees) in the wall of our cabin. Luckily, the latter was caught early so the horror stories some many have heard about honey dripping down walls was averted. But my Sis is still freaked out when she recalls the bees in her bedroom wall.

http://www.shannondale.org/sca/images/Then%20Pictures/Modular_%20homeShannondale1957.jpg

[BigTom]

There's some people on RT#9 just east of Hillsboro that sell local honey, also the Virginia honey company is just west of Berryville they buy and process local honey.

[d56r]

As far as the carpenter bees are concerned, i have been told if you apply almond oil on the wood the carpenter bees will leave it alone and if already 'nesting" will leave the nest. Another thing to do is to make a hanging block of wood to have them dig into and make their nest in. Hang it away from any other wood you do not want them to get at like your deck.

[MountainMoon22]

Thanks for that advice, I will get some almond oil. We have to spray the eaves of our house for bees, but I don't want to spray near the garden. The almond oil is a great idea, thanks!