Farm & Ranch
The Buzz About Bees
By Jessica Crabtree
Mention the word bees to most of the population, and you will have folks running. Most would be surprised to learn these insects are not out to hurt you and are actually extremely complex and fascinating. To the average person, bees offer a threat when actually they only render harm when feeling threatened. In this piece we will decipher between two kinds of bees, their relevance to the world and shatter myths and mystify readers with their complex life.
There are more than 50 different kinds of bees. In the United States, we are most interested in two. Number one is the bumblebee and secondly, the honey bee. The bumblebee has a conspicuous body shape. For its size and body shape, aerodynamically it shouldn’t be able to fly, but yet can, explained Red River Valley Beekeepers president, Kerry Roach.
The honey bee is known as Apis mellifera, which is Latin for honey maker. The honey bee is not native to the United States. It was imported from Europe among the first settlers. To beekeepers, honey bees are called “the Italian bees” and are revered as the most popular variety. The honey bee is just that, a prodigious honey producer who is non-aggressive. Most that are raised by beekeepers are gentle with a non-aggressive disposition. However, stepping on one or swatting at one may make a bee sting out of a protective reaction. Roach admitted, “All bees will sting, but the Africanized bee is genetically formed to be defensive and aggressive against enemies within their area.” When bees are shown on the media and being aggressive, more than likely the bees are African honey bees, a subject we will return to momentarily.
Busy Bee Bodies
The honey bee lives in colonies or bee hives. They have two pairs of wings and compound eyes. Interestingly enough, bees can communicate to each other. How you ask? Through pheromones, a body chemical that allows bees and other animals the ability to talk to each other by smell. This is done through their antenna. From these pheromones, a bee can tell whether a bee is from the same hive, a worker bee, a queen bee or if being warned about danger such as honey robbers.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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