[moopogyOvenny]

Yes. And now I can't remember if they caught those responsible for it. Will have to dig around. (Although it's a derail from the original topic. Sorry 'bout that.)

No they didn't catch anyone but they suspect that it was controlled from the Flemington Markets Mafia.

[Patgaepx]

Other bee keepers?

Maybe, it could be radical conservationists too, they don't like bees in the forest.
Yes Roundup will kill bees, but I use it to kill the grass around my hives and never had a problem, I spray on cold days when the bees aren't flying and am careful to keep it away from the entrance.

The amount of honey left for overwintering is a "how long is a piece of string?" question
When I am packing my bees down for winter I generally leave any brood combs with honey around them for the bees and put a full comb on the outside. The bees need to be packed down to keep a compact cluster of bees for warmth, if the hive is too open and has too many frames draughts can circulate and chill them. I try to pack my bees down before the really cold weather so they still have time to fill up empty spots.
Bees flying and collecting nectar in winter is not a good idea, they bring a sweet watery liquid filled with yeast spores into a warm environment and quickly have a hive filled with home brew mead (and CO2) not good. So the reason they are out in the forest is just a place to overwinter them, have a fly on warm days for a crap and maybe have some spring flowers to start building the hive up.

[moopogyOvenny]

Maybe, it could be radical conservationists too, they don't like bees in the forest.
Yes Roundup will kill bees, but I use it to kill the grass around my hives and never had a problem, I spray on cold days when the bees aren't flying and am careful to keep it away from the entrance.

The amount of honey left for overwintering is a "how long is a piece of string?" question
When I am packing my bees down for winter I generally leave any brood combs with honey around them for the bees and put a full comb on the outside. The bees need to be packed down to keep a compact cluster of bees for warmth, if the hive is too open and has too many frames draughts can circulate and chill them. I try to pack my bees down before the really cold weather so they still have time to fill up empty spots.
Bees flying and collecting nectar in winter is not a good idea, they bring a sweet watery liquid filled with yeast spores into a warm environment and quickly have a hive filled with home brew mead (and CO2) not good. So the reason they are out in the forest is just a place to overwinter them, have a fly on warm days for a crap and maybe have some spring flowers to start building the hive up.

The amount of times I have marvelled at Victorian apiarists carting loads of bee hives up the slippery track known as the Cobb Highway in winter, just doesn't bear counting.

[BodoidearoLew]

So the reason they are out in the forest is just a place to overwinter them, have a fly on warm days for a crap and maybe have some spring flowers to start building the hive up.

Bees go outside to have a crap? Serial? Makes sense I suppose. Crap is going to build up after a few years.

[moopogyOvenny]

Bees go outside to have a crap? Serial? Makes sense I suppose. Crap is going to build up after a few years.

sometimes.. you sorta sound like you are trying to make sense.

[PickEmUp]

I thought that one of the points of dispute about these attacked bees might have been that the big players had access to this particular site, which featured excellent quality winter flowering Eucalyptus, so they were not hunkered down, but working.

I'm not a bee person though.

[moopogyOvenny]

sites may be everything in this human world.
who am I to speak?

a nobody

but one who does now(with) bees.

busy?

well that's a perspective..

If you want something done..
ask a busy person.

[PickEmUp]

sites may be everything in this human world.
who am I to speak?

a nobody

but one who does now(with) bees.

busy?

well that's a perspective..

If you want something done..
ask a busy person.

I'm not above asking what this means.

[moopogyOvenny]

I'm not above asking what this means.

and I'm not below trying to make sense of it myself.

sites may be everything in this human world. = relates to the site
who am I to speak? = I answered below

a nobody

but one who does now(with) bees. = now is .. the here and now.

busy?

well that's a perspective..

If you want something done..
ask a busy person. = relates to the conspiracy theory.