Saturday, January 9, 2010

Bush Hives . .

These hives were quite a way off the road leading into the Awakino gorge on the main road from New Plymouth to Hamilton. It is steep bush land, not great soil but would have been covered in broadleaf podocarp forest when the first Europeans came here in the early 1800`s, with most of it logged, small patches of unreachable land left. There was only small scrubby manuka and some taller trees which I presume were totara and other native and exotic plants.

The hives are surrounded by an electric fence, probably to keep stock out. The hives are all painted soft pastal colours, very typical of NZ commercial hives dotted all over the countryside. I didn`t fancy walking across the paddock to get closer, there were some dodgey looking cattle wandering around.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You just never know where you'll find some hard working girls, eh Ngaio? Looks like a great place for some hives though, far enough off the road, and away from cattle too. Great pictures!

We'll think about you in class today. I'm taking my camera and making notes. You'll be with us in spirit even if thousands of miles separate us in distance!

Doris diel said...

Great pictures Marcia. Makes me wish I were in NZ right now. We're building a bee pad today.... a lovely spot under the oak trees. Can't make it too nice for the bees, they deserve the best, right!