Honey bees and bird food

[covey ridge]

Over the winter my wife has been putting out food for the birds. She usually puts it on top of a huge chunk of plywood. We have a variety of birds but mostly collared doves and sparrows. Today we noticed that for some reason the birds were a bit standoffish. Up closer inspection we noticed hundreds and hundreds of honey bees feeding on the mixed seeds. They were there all day long. I have ever seen so many honey bees this time of year. I was also surprised that they went for the seed. The seemed to be wrestling with the sunflower seeds and chunks of crushed corn. I just thought this was unusual.

[smith88]

Were the seeds a little bit wet? The bees were probably sucking any sugar they could get out. Pickings are pretty slim for bee this time of year.

[Beeman]

The bees this time of year are looking for pollen and until the willows start to bloom they will investigate anything colourful and work on almost anything dusty even if it supplies nothing beneficial to them. I've even seen them haul sawdust back to the hive but corn dust at least might have some protein in it to help the bees.

As soon as the willows start producing pollen, which should be soon, the bees will get to work and leave the bird feed alone.

[warriorboy10]

I'm not a bird or bee person but that is very interesting.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Beeman

The bees this time of year are looking for pollen and until the willows start to bloom they will investigate anything colourful and work on almost anything dusty even if it supplies nothing beneficial to them. I've even seen them haul sawdust back to the hive but corn dust at least might have some protein in it to help the bees.

As soon as the willows start producing pollen, which should be soon, the bees will get to work and leave the bird feed alone.

Thanks
I see why you are Beeman
I hope that nothing I leave out for the birds will cause them any harm.

[covey ridge]

I thought they might like something sweet so my wife put out a few cut strawberries but they are still on the corn.

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

Thanks
I see why you are Beeman
I hope that nothing I leave out for the birds will cause them any harm.

No problem it's what I do. I wouldn't worry about hurting the bees with a bit of bird seed. It won't really help them any but keeps them busy. I just want to caution against giving sweets to bees though. Although it would be helpful to put out many gallons of sugar syrup right now you would have to be careful not to drown them. BUT most importantly feeding sweets causes bees to go into a robbing mood and can make them quite aggressive.

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by Beeman

No problem it's what I do. I wouldn't worry about hurting the bees with a bit of bird seed. It won't really help them any but keeps them busy. I just want to caution against giving sweets to bees though. Although it would be helpful to put out many gallons of sugar syrup right now you would have to be careful not to drown them. BUT most importantly feeding sweets causes bees to go into a robbing mood and can make them quite aggressive.

So, out of curiosity, how would a person feed bees safely?

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

So, out of curiosity, how would a person feed bees safely?

Plant flowers or be ready for stings.

We feed beehives with sugar syrup put directly in the hive one way or another. In the fall when we need to fill up the hives quick for winter we fill barrels with syrup and some straw on top so they don't drown and ten hives can empty a barrel in a few days. The bees will fight with each other over it and get mean. If the bees have lots of flowers to work on they will be in a good mood and ignore any sugar or honey left out.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Beeman

No problem it's what I do. I wouldn't worry about hurting the bees with a bit of bird seed. It won't really help them any but keeps them busy. I just want to caution against giving sweets to bees though. Although it would be helpful to put out many gallons of sugar syrup right now you would have to be careful not to drown them. BUT most importantly feeding sweets causes bees to go into a robbing mood and can make them quite aggressive.

It is a little cooler today and I have not noticed any bees. No flowers around my place yet. I do not know anyone with hives nearby. Does that mean they are wild bees?

That robbing mood is interesting? Is that why hornets or wasps get so aggressive when my over ripe apples fall?

[beerhunter]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

It is a little cooler today and I have not noticed any bees. No flowers around my place yet. I do not know anyone with hives nearby. Does that mean they are wild bees?

That robbing mood is interesting? Is that why hornets or wasps get so aggressive when my over ripe apples fall?

[thumper]

Wasps are cool. They hunt spiders and caterpillars 10 times their own size. You never see them chewing on bird seed, do you?

Besides, 'wild' honey-bees are an introduced, invasive species.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by thumper

Wasps are cool. They hunt spiders and caterpillars 10 times their own size. You never see them chewing on bird seed, do you?

Besides, 'wild' honey-bees are an introduced, invasive species.

I think that honey bees are needed to pollinate certain crops in my area and they never bother me. If I thought they actually like bird food, I would put it out for them,

I leave the spiders and caterpillars alone because I have never seen them do any harm. Later in the year wasps become a problem as they always seem to be around. They seem to frequent my bird baths and seem to get aggressive around good barbeque, which happens on may deck on a very frequent basis.
I eventually find where they have set up housekeeping and it is usually the size of a battle star galactica death star. I never get stung so much by those guys. The ones that are really nasty are those that set up in a tiny mouse holes on my lawn or in one of my hedges. A mower or hedge trimmer at the wrong time leads to an engagement where they get totally destroyed.