One year of nests of Japanese honeybee in nature

One year of nests of Japanese honeybee in nature

I observed Japanese honeybee nests continuously more than one year.
One was in Mitsukue shrine, which had backyard of mountain with thick sugi (a Japanese ceder) forest. Another was in Ninryou Shrine, which was in a residential area and was surrounded by oak forest backyard. The honeybees had been seen for more than six years continuously for the both nests.
From spring to early summer, traffic of bees through the entrance was very active, and they brought honey and pollen into the both nests. In July, yellow hornet came flying to the nest in Mitsukue shrine with mountain backyard. The yellow hornet was hovering around the entrance, and caught the honeybees. The honeybees gathered around the entrance, and started booming to threaten the yellow hornets. In August traffic of honeybees decreased. It is due to too high temperature and decreasing of honey source in the field. In middle of September, when temperature was moderate, honeybees became active again. In October and November honeybees suffered by attack of big hornets.
In 1997 we had warm winter. Big hornet was not observed around the nest in Mitsukue shrine. Honeybees stayed in the nest and never flied out. I thought they were completely destroyed by big hornets. It should be the season that they brought pollen and honey from Solidago plant. Even in winter they visit ume and loquat flowers.
Unfortunately those two nests disappeared. The entrance of one in Mitsukue shrine became big enough for big hornet to pass through, and human being exterminated the other nest in Ninryou shrine.

year
month day Ninryou Shrine Mitsukue shrine

1997.
4.24　　 A nest of Japanese honeybees was found under the floor of Ninryou Shrine. The bees did not go in and out so often. A person living around there said that he found it six years ago.

4.25
A nest of Japanese honeybees was found. The chief priest said that he found it several years ago. The bees went out and in so often (9:30)

7.23
A yellow hornet came flying. The honeybees fought with it around the entrance. (13:00)

8.1 About 200 of the honeybees gathered at the outside of the entrance. I caught a big hornet on a tree near by the nest. I did not see the honeybees fight with the hornet. （60／１min. 13:00） A yellow hornet came flying to the honeybee nest. More than ten honeybees came out of the entrance. Traffic of the bees through the entrance was not often.（４／１min. 12:00）

8.11 About 200 of the honeybees adhered near the entrance. It is probably due to too high temperature of inside of the nest.（40／１min. 11:00） No yellow hornet was found. Traffic of the honeybee is seldom.（４／１min. 10:40）

8.22 About 50 of the honeybees stayed around the entrance.（50／１min. 14:30） A yellow hornet came to the nest. The honeybees threaten the hornet.（７／１min. 14:15）

8.30 The honeybees came out the entrance. No hornet was around the nest. Temperature of the inside might be too high.（17／１min. 14:30）

9.10 No hornet was found. And no honeybee stayed around the entrance.（40／１min. 14:20） Two yellow hornets came around of the nest. Two gathering of the honeybees were made around the entrance. （56／１min. 13:40）

9.18 A small hornet was catching the honeybees. They did not approach to the entrance and caught honeybees coming back to the nest. Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was quite often.（180over／１min. 12:45） Two yellow hornets came to the nest. The honeybees gathered under the entrance and hang down.（75／１min. 12:15）

10. 1 Ten big hornets crowded the entrance. There were about hundred of dead honeybees on the ground under the entrance. One dead big hornet was seen. No traffic of the honeybee through the entrance.（14:00） Two yellow hornets came and hovered around the nest. The honeybees gathered and threatened them.(13:30)

10. 3 Ten big hornets crushed the honeybees by biting. The honeybees fought against the hornet, and then some hornets dropped down onto the ground. After I removed the hornets, the honeybees flew around the entrance.（16:00）

10. 8 Two big hornets explored around the entrance. No honeybees could be seen. Was whole colony destroyed or escaped?（14:15） First flying big hornet was confirmed. Dead fifty honeybees and two hornets were found. Almost of the honeybees stayed in the nest.(13:40)

10.31 The honeybee colony was recovered. Any hornet did not appear. A dead hornet and dead eight honeybees were found on the ground.（40／１min. 14:30） Four big hornets went in and out of loft of the shrine. The honeybees could not be seen.(14:00)

11. 9 No big hornet was found. The honeybees were active. They brought in yellow and orange pollen.（74／１min. 11:45） Three big hornets went in and out through the entrance. No honeybee was found. (11:20)

11.19 The honeybees were active. They brought in white pollen. One dead big hornet and ten honeybees were found under the entrance.（85／１min. 14:00） No honeybee was found. Four big hornets appeared in 30 min. I caught two of them, and killed other two.(13:30)

12. 1 Any dead bee was found under the entrance. The honeybees brought in white pollen. （46／１min. 11:30） I found four big hornets in 30 min. Three of them came out from the nest. Another one came flying from somewhere else. I captured one. Any dead bee was found on the ground. (10:45)

12.16 Twenty of the honeybees dropped down on the ground. Some of them were still alive. I did not understand why they dropped down. About twenty of the honeybees were flying around the entrance. They brought white pollen back.（60／１min. 14:00） The honeybee colony was recovered. It is a mystery how they could recover after two months of total absence of the honeybee. A dead big hornet was found on the ground.（26／１min. 13:30）

1998.
1.17 About ten dead honeybees were found on the ground. Several honeybees were flying around the entrance. Temperature was 10℃.（44／１min. 12:08） Honeybee traffic is a few due to low temperature, 9℃.（２／１min. 11:50）

2.13 It was very warm, 18℃. About twenty of dead honeybees were found under the entrance. Other honeybees brought in orange color pollen.（44／１min. 12:30） Some honeybees were flying around the entrance. Temperature was 18℃.（14／１min. 12:15）

4. 5 Many honeybees went in and out through the entrance.（114／１min. 9:15） They brought in dark brown pollen. Four dead big hornets were four under the entrance. Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was active.（71／１min. 9:40）。

5.21 No hornet came. The honeybees were active. Temperature was 31℃.（116／１min. 1:15） Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was very active.（126／１min. 1:40）
Honeybees also went in and out from the other side of the shrine. Probably a new swarming flock also settled under the floor. Population of the new colony was almost same as that of old one. Many drones were found in them. They were making a line to go into the nest because of narrow entrance for them.

7.13 Traffic of the honeybees was not often.（36／１min. 3:36）About twenty five of the honeybees were booming. Hornet did not visit. Many honeybees showed threatening behavior at the outside of the entrance. I could not count frequency of the traffic because so many honeybees were flying around of the entrance. Yellow hornets hovered.
At the other entrance about ten honeybees showed threatening behavior. There also yellow hornets hovered.

8.16 About hundred of the honeybees got outside of the nest. No hornet could be found.（22/１min.　9:15） No hornet was observed. Several honeybees stayed out for watching hornet.(32/1min. 9:50)

8.29 About fifty of the honeybees got outside of the nest. No hornet could be found.(72/1min. 1:36) Yellow hornets visited.(42/1min. 2:03)

11.29 The honeybees brought in orange color pollen.(59/1min. 11:00) Only a few traffics were seen.

1999.
3.2 Severalties of dead honeybees were found under the entrance.(10/1min. 3:00) No traffic of the honeybee was seen probably due to low temperature.

5.23 The honeybees brought orange and white color pollen in the nest.(76/1min.　 1:23) Many honeybees went in and out through the entrance.(52/1min. 2:01)

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year month day	Ninryou Shrine	Mitsukue shrine
1997. 4.24	A nest of Japanese honeybees was found under the floor of Ninryou Shrine. The bees did not go in and out so often. A person living around there said that he found it six years ago.
4.25		A nest of Japanese honeybees was found. The chief priest said that he found it several years ago. The bees went out and in so often (9:30)
7.23		A yellow hornet came flying. The honeybees fought with it around the entrance. (13:00)
8.1	About 200 of the honeybees gathered at the outside of the entrance. I caught a big hornet on a tree near by the nest. I did not see the honeybees fight with the hornet. （60／１min. 13:00）	A yellow hornet came flying to the honeybee nest. More than ten honeybees came out of the entrance. Traffic of the bees through the entrance was not often.（４／１min. 12:00）
8.11	About 200 of the honeybees adhered near the entrance. It is probably due to too high temperature of inside of the nest.（40／１min. 11:00）	No yellow hornet was found. Traffic of the honeybee is seldom.（４／１min. 10:40）
8.22	About 50 of the honeybees stayed around the entrance.（50／１min. 14:30）	A yellow hornet came to the nest. The honeybees threaten the hornet.（７／１min. 14:15）
8.30	The honeybees came out the entrance. No hornet was around the nest. Temperature of the inside might be too high.（17／１min. 14:30）
9.10	No hornet was found. And no honeybee stayed around the entrance.（40／１min. 14:20）	Two yellow hornets came around of the nest. Two gathering of the honeybees were made around the entrance. （56／１min. 13:40）
9.18	A small hornet was catching the honeybees. They did not approach to the entrance and caught honeybees coming back to the nest. Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was quite often.（180over／１min. 12:45）	Two yellow hornets came to the nest. The honeybees gathered under the entrance and hang down.（75／１min. 12:15）
10. 1	Ten big hornets crowded the entrance. There were about hundred of dead honeybees on the ground under the entrance. One dead big hornet was seen. No traffic of the honeybee through the entrance.（14:00）	Two yellow hornets came and hovered around the nest. The honeybees gathered and threatened them.(13:30)
10. 3	Ten big hornets crushed the honeybees by biting. The honeybees fought against the hornet, and then some hornets dropped down onto the ground. After I removed the hornets, the honeybees flew around the entrance.（16:00）
10. 8	Two big hornets explored around the entrance. No honeybees could be seen. Was whole colony destroyed or escaped?（14:15）	First flying big hornet was confirmed. Dead fifty honeybees and two hornets were found. Almost of the honeybees stayed in the nest.(13:40)
10.31	The honeybee colony was recovered. Any hornet did not appear. A dead hornet and dead eight honeybees were found on the ground.（40／１min. 14:30）	Four big hornets went in and out of loft of the shrine. The honeybees could not be seen.(14:00)
11. 9	No big hornet was found. The honeybees were active. They brought in yellow and orange pollen.（74／１min. 11:45）	Three big hornets went in and out through the entrance. No honeybee was found. (11:20)
11.19	The honeybees were active. They brought in white pollen. One dead big hornet and ten honeybees were found under the entrance.（85／１min. 14:00）	No honeybee was found. Four big hornets appeared in 30 min. I caught two of them, and killed other two.(13:30)
12. 1	Any dead bee was found under the entrance. The honeybees brought in white pollen. （46／１min. 11:30）	I found four big hornets in 30 min. Three of them came out from the nest. Another one came flying from somewhere else. I captured one. Any dead bee was found on the ground. (10:45)
12.16	Twenty of the honeybees dropped down on the ground. Some of them were still alive. I did not understand why they dropped down. About twenty of the honeybees were flying around the entrance. They brought white pollen back.（60／１min. 14:00）	The honeybee colony was recovered. It is a mystery how they could recover after two months of total absence of the honeybee. A dead big hornet was found on the ground.（26／１min. 13:30）
1998. 1.17	About ten dead honeybees were found on the ground. Several honeybees were flying around the entrance. Temperature was 10℃.（44／１min. 12:08）	Honeybee traffic is a few due to low temperature, 9℃.（２／１min. 11:50）
2.13	It was very warm, 18℃. About twenty of dead honeybees were found under the entrance. Other honeybees brought in orange color pollen.（44／１min. 12:30）	Some honeybees were flying around the entrance. Temperature was 18℃.（14／１min. 12:15）
4. 5	Many honeybees went in and out through the entrance.（114／１min. 9:15） They brought in dark brown pollen. Four dead big hornets were four under the entrance.	Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was active.（71／１min. 9:40）。
5.21	No hornet came. The honeybees were active. Temperature was 31℃.（116／１min. 1:15）	Traffic of the honeybees through the entrance was very active.（126／１min. 1:40） Honeybees also went in and out from the other side of the shrine. Probably a new swarming flock also settled under the floor. Population of the new colony was almost same as that of old one. Many drones were found in them. They were making a line to go into the nest because of narrow entrance for them.
7.13	Traffic of the honeybees was not often.（36／１min. 3:36）About twenty five of the honeybees were booming. Hornet did not visit.	Many honeybees showed threatening behavior at the outside of the entrance. I could not count frequency of the traffic because so many honeybees were flying around of the entrance. Yellow hornets hovered. At the other entrance about ten honeybees showed threatening behavior. There also yellow hornets hovered.
8.16	About hundred of the honeybees got outside of the nest. No hornet could be found.（22/１min.　9:15）	No hornet was observed. Several honeybees stayed out for watching hornet.(32/1min. 9:50)
8.29	About fifty of the honeybees got outside of the nest. No hornet could be found.(72/1min. 1:36)	Yellow hornets visited.(42/1min. 2:03)
11.29	The honeybees brought in orange color pollen.(59/1min. 11:00)	Only a few traffics were seen.
1999. 3.2	Severalties of dead honeybees were found under the entrance.(10/1min. 3:00)	No traffic of the honeybee was seen probably due to low temperature.
5.23	The honeybees brought orange and white color pollen in the nest.(76/1min.　 1:23)	Many honeybees went in and out through the entrance.(52/1min. 2:01)