# could mead be the cure



## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> Why is it a colonie of bees lives for years in 
> a tree with out a beekeeper?

To answer this question, one must first find a
colony that actually DID live "for years" without
attention, rather that a site that is reoccupied
by a succession of swarms over a period of time.

When you find one, and can verify that the
same colony has been there without interruption
for a few years, let us know.


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

I think your idea is great! Then of course I make any decision only after a pint of contemplation. I've taught beginning homebrewers for years, as a job and as a public service, and the most important thing to know was coined by Charlie Papazian in his venerable bible for homebrewers: "Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew." 

It's easy to get all worked up doing mead for the first time, especially when you go to the brewshop for your stuff and some other customer, ignoring that you're starting out, tells you all about the three-million-dollar system he uses, how many times he titrates the acid levels, etc. Honey water and yeast, baby. Because I'm a newbie beekeeper, I'm _anal_yzing everything to death. That's just my way, I always have to learn EVERYTHING. I'll definitely have a pint in preparation for hiving my package (two weeks!).


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## Mitch (Jul 7, 2003)

Ok
Jim
All i am saying is most of us get all worked up about a problem with the hive,and you get all the help you want on this site.But tho it has been said many times one has to watch for things like where is the beekeeper from giveing the replie and do you use the same system they do. I will agree that you may be right about the old bee tree being reoccupied.My point here is bees still do live in the tree with no beekeeper and for more than one season.I am not all that big on reading alot of reserch, but what i see on this site is work on how to kill pests,not how the wilde bees survive the pests.Again you are correct one would have to make sure this bee tree was the same colonie.But for most of us it is a hobby. So relax ask away and have fun with your bees.

Ben 
Have fun with the new packages.I am no pro but it is not that tuff. Just remeber that bees do what they do and not allways what the beekeeper wants even if you did everything right.I get 5 packages in 3 weeks .
Bob


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