# Bees drunk on wine grapes



## SciFiLover84 (Feb 13, 2015)

Two clients of mine are managers of a local winery and one of them came to me with a question the other day. They were attempting to harvest their grapes and found 6 rows had been completely taken over by bees, probably attracted by the sweet aroma. There are honey bees, bumble bees, and hornets and wasps. They are breaking open the grapes and eating them or completely covering the bushels with their numbers. It's impossible to gather the grapes from those rows and the rows surrounding as they are getting stung like crazy.

He wanted to know if there is a natural deterrent he could use. He would prefer not to spray the grapes unless it's a natural mixture, like lemon juice or something like that. He has also thought about netting them, but the net would have to be ridiculously tight to prevent the bees and wasps.

Any suggestions?


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## EvanS (Feb 27, 2015)

I am a vineyard manager at a winery in PA. The honey bees and bumble bees are not a problem. They don't have the jaws necessary for biting into the grapes. The most common nuisance bees we encounter are yellow jackets. Unfortunately, at this point, they may be out of luck if they don't spray, and possibly, with the damage done, it may be too late. Once grapes are punctured and the juice is running, there is a greater chance of sour rot which turns the juice into vinegar. The secondary infection is caused by a bacterium called acetobactor which is carried by fruit flies drawn to the sugar in the grape juice. One way or another, they will have to spray insecticide for the fruit flies.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

what wine grapes are being harvested now?
still way to early for any of the varieties grown here.

maybe they are harvesting table grapes?


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## EvanS (Feb 27, 2015)

One of our growers is picking his La Crescent and Marquette next week and we will probably be picking Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris next week.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Have got grape vines in one bee yard. The fall honey is grapey and a couple people really like that. The grapes are ripening but have not popped so the bees haven't found them...yet.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

aunt betty said:


> Have got grape vines in one bee yard. The fall honey is grapey and a couple people really like that. The grapes are ripening but have not popped so the bees haven't found them...yet.


when did you last harvest fall honey ?
I thought you were just back to beekeeping after 25 yrs of being beeless, but maybe I'm thinking 
of someone else.


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

EvanS said:


> One of our growers is picking his La Crescent and Marquette next week and we will probably be picking Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris next week.


a few vineyards setting up to pick grapes for sparkling wine. looks like they'll be ready to start after the rain passes.


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## J.Walters (Sep 24, 2015)

I work at a winery: groundskeeper, help rack, bottle, and spray the vineyard. Here in NW Ohio we just finished picking last week & now racking. I posted a thread about my 30 hives going into a full blown honey flow on the La Crescent sediment that we had washed out of our stainless tanks...if anyone thinks you could store the sediment and use it as a "sugar water" feed using a top feeder. As far as keeping them out of the vineyard, your only solution to getting rid of the "bees, wasps" is to spray/use a pesticide. As EvanS stated above, the bees are the least of your worries, as is botrytis / sour rot in tight clusters. The "wildlife" know when the brix levels are getting into the 20% and above. Harvest is the best practice, then if the grapes are not at the perfect brix, you can always add sugar! Best of luck...!


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