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Veteran of the Third Battle of Tannhauser Gate.
ID, USA
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Keep it pinned.
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"The Creator may be seen in all the works of his hands, but none so clearly in the wise economy of the honey bee."
"Obviously natural selection is bunk. Why are there so many stupid people left?" |
I prefer it kept pinned so it’s always page 1.
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Okay. Will wait to see what others say, but for now, I will keep it pinned.
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Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Keep it pinned
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Pinned would be best. Newbies would be more likely to see it and chime in with problems I think...
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A Nation of Sheep Breeds a Government of Wolves!!!
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Okey dokey. Seems like everyone wants to keep it pinned, so I will.
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Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
A Nation of Sheep Breeds a Government of Wolves!!!
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
You’re getting some pretty good heat from those hives.
I’ve had a FLIR one for a couple years, really mostly for the bees. But I’ve got mine are wrapped up with foam insulation for the past couple weeks. And soon I need to set up a wind break curtain around them (I use tarps set up a few feet away |
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Originally Posted By JQ66: You’re getting some pretty good heat from those hives. I’ve had a FLIR one for a couple years, really mostly for the bees. But I’ve got mine are wrapped up with foam insulation for the past couple weeks. And soon I need to set up a wind break curtain around them (I use tarps set up a few feet away View Quote I was going to wrap mine, but the staple gun only had 2 staples left, and couldn't find the box of staples. As it is the 2 langs have feeder shims and quilt boxes. Those are the ones I need to wrap. The layens and horizontal hive are well insulated with thicker wood or insulation. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Tell me a quick solution to a bee hive in the ground on my property in Alabama. I found one functional hive and a second that looks like an animal dug it up and ate it. This hive is in a pasture and I discovered it with the tractor
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RIP Jeff Reed. Tennessee Squire, Ga. Carry member, NRA,Non-puking 72 ounce drinker 2 of 6 Norcal call sign, Forgotten.
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Originally Posted By whiskerz: Tell me a quick solution to a bee hive in the ground on my property in Alabama. I found one functional hive and a second that looks like an animal dug it up and ate it. This hive is in a pasture and I discovered it with the tractor View Quote Put a screen over the hole at night, weight it down along the edges. Put a long squirt of dish soap in the hole, then fill with water. Wait a day. They are not honeybees. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Originally Posted By rcav8r: Put a screen over the hole at night, weight it down along the edges. Put a long squirt of dish soap in the hole, then fill with water. Wait a day. They are not honeybees. View Quote What are they ? They look a lot like honey bees and we're not super aggressive even when I went over them with the tractor. |
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RIP Jeff Reed. Tennessee Squire, Ga. Carry member, NRA,Non-puking 72 ounce drinker 2 of 6 Norcal call sign, Forgotten.
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Originally Posted By whiskerz: What are they ? They look a lot like honey bees and we're not super aggressive even when I went over them with the tractor. View Quote They're probably a species of ground dwelling bees as you called them, can't be more specific without a good, detailed pic, based on what you said. A few bee species like to dwell in former rodent holes, including yellow jackets, which would have been mean bastards if disturbed, or even if you got too close. If they aren't bothering you, you can leave them alone if you like. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Originally Posted By rcav8r: They're probably a species of ground dwelling bees as you called them, can't be more specific without a good, detailed pic, based on what you said. A few bee species like to dwell in former rodent holes, including yellow jackets, which would have been mean bastards if disturbed, or even if you got too close. If they aren't bothering you, you can leave them alone if you like. View Quote They are not yellow jackets. Yellow jackets are assholes and if they were there would have been a fiery demise for them. I have experience running over a yellow jacket nest. This may be a former gopher tortoise hole. Those holes are all over my property. Is there any chance these are bees from a nearby beekeeper ? I just hate to kill them if they are beneficial. |
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RIP Jeff Reed. Tennessee Squire, Ga. Carry member, NRA,Non-puking 72 ounce drinker 2 of 6 Norcal call sign, Forgotten.
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No, they're not from a beekeeper. Honey bees are a unique species in that they make and store honey, and they do not live in the ground.
The bees you have are pollinators, so they are beneficial in that regard. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Originally Posted By rcav8r: No, they're not from a beekeeper. Honey bees are a unique species in that they make and store honey, and they do not live in the ground. The bees you have are pollinators, so they are beneficial in that regard. View Quote Okay but after visiting them this morning while it is cool. I got a better look at them. Not honeybees but slightly resemble them. They have a paper nest though. |
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RIP Jeff Reed. Tennessee Squire, Ga. Carry member, NRA,Non-puking 72 ounce drinker 2 of 6 Norcal call sign, Forgotten.
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
View Quote Thanks, As long as they are not aggressive I will leave them. I am next door to a guy who farms a couple hundred acres (peanuts, cotton and sod) and I am working on my smaller piece of dirt. |
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RIP Jeff Reed. Tennessee Squire, Ga. Carry member, NRA,Non-puking 72 ounce drinker 2 of 6 Norcal call sign, Forgotten.
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Originally Posted By whiskerz: Thanks, As long as they are not aggressive I will leave them. I am next door to a guy who farms a couple hundred acres (peanuts, cotton and sod) and I am working on my smaller piece of dirt. View Quote So....be prepared....they MAY become aggressive in the spring, when they have brood to defend. That is one thing they would have in common with honeybees (which they are clearly NOT). Bees with something to defend will be far more aggressive than bees who have nothing to defend. Brood is a thing to defend. So in the spring, when your alien, ground-dwelling, not-yellow-jacket, paper-wasp bees start having babies, they will get mean. Depending on where they are, you gotta decide whether "pollinators" is worth saving them. |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Simple question.... probably results in a complex answer
My life is finally becoming less demanding and I should have some time margin beginning next year. I have 170 acres in north east MO and am putting in an 8 acre monarch field and 22 acres of native grass, little blue stem. 100+ acres are timber. Surrounded on all sides by like property for miles. Questions: When is the best time of the year to start a hive? How many hives? Thanks |
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Spring is the best time to start a hive. Up here in WI, packages get delivered around late march, early april through may, and sometimes until June. It may be earlier for you. It would be best to find a local beekeeping club in your area to find out the local sources, there's usually a club member or business that will order bees from the south for resale locally.
They will also know the best times to start, when to treat, etc for your locality. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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@Deuskid
Second the advice to find a local bee club/association. You need that for education about how to keep bees in YOUR environment. And most people have already ordered packages of bees, or they are ordering them right now. So don't delay. ETA: There will be "bee schools" in your area starting NOW, put on by bee clubs and/or universities. Cheap to attend, and you should go. Look for them now. If you can't find any, holler. They are there. We will help you do the right search to find them. You will learn more than you can imagine, and you will meet the people who can help you. Go. |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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@Deuskid
here you go Missouri local beekeeping clubs I don't know where you are exactly, but even if it's an Arkansas club, or an Illinois club, or an Iowa club.....whatever is closest to you....GO. Become a part of it. You will learn and grow as a beekeeper. And make friends with people who can help you and WILL. The beekeeping community is one of the most generous, giving communities I have been a part of. Go. |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Thanks all for the encouragement.
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Born with a low tolerance for bullshit
KY, USA
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Originally Posted By Deuskid: Thanks all for the encouragement. View Quote It is one of the most amazing undertakings I have seen or experienced in my lifetime. I hope you go for it and share your journey here. It will encourage new people. Let us know if you find a community in your area. |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe |
Originally Posted By Deuskid: Simple question.... probably results in a complex answer My life is finally becoming less demanding and I should have some time margin beginning next year. I have 170 acres in north east MO and am putting in an 8 acre monarch field and 22 acres of native grass, little blue stem. 100+ acres are timber. Surrounded on all sides by like property for miles. Questions: When is the best time of the year to start a hive? How many hives? Thanks View Quote How far from Palmyra? |
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"If the people come to believe that the government is no longer constrained by the laws, then they will conclude that neither are they."
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Originally Posted By Deuskid: Simple question.... probably results in a complex answer My life is finally becoming less demanding and I should have some time margin beginning next year. I have 170 acres in north east MO and am putting in an 8 acre monarch field and 22 acres of native grass, little blue stem. 100+ acres are timber. Surrounded on all sides by like property for miles. Questions: When is the best time of the year to start a hive? How many hives? Thanks View Quote Check your local community college too for bee keeping courses I’ve been at this a few years, but I enrolled in a beginner beekeeping course at my local county community college today. Classes Monday nights in March. It can’t hurt and it’s pretty inexpensive. Good to network and pick the instructors brain on more advanced things if he doesn’t cover things I want to know more on this session. The local beekeeping club for Westmoreland county he is pretty worthless. All depends on who the officers are and if they’re afraid of having live meetings. Apparently this one is totally worthless as far as I can tell Penn State has a good online breaking course that will get you basic info. It was free at the beginning of the covid shutdown, but they’ve since gone to to charging about $100 for it. Go at your own pace. I’m sure other state schools with ag programs will have something similar. And get some milkweed seeds or even roots for your monarchs. My Dad started keeping up with a wild patch of milkweed on the gas co property next door, and I’ve kept up with it too. May be too late to get you any seed pods by now this year. |
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Also check your local beekeeping supply places for courses. One near me has a 4 part in-person class (they did put it online for peak covid last year).
I've given a 4 hour "quick" course, but haven't since because of mask rules in our county. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
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Looking for some help from some of you guys who have recently started hives.
My wife does beekeeping at her college (she's bio instructor at community College). They've had bees for years and she is one of the main ones who gets grants, takes care of the hive and extracts the honey. She has been talking more and more about starting some hives at our house (we have 9 acres off the beaten path). I would like to get her a gift card to the local beekeeping supply store. How much do you think would be a good budget to get her everything she needs to start a hive? I'm talking the actual hive, suit, smoker, bees/queen, etc. She will know what to get, but I want her to be able to go in there and buy everything she will need to get started. Thank you all for the help! I'm trying to talk her into joining the site just to join your guys in your adventures. |
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We're living in an episode of Who's Line is it Anyway.
Where everything's made up and the points don't matter. |
For a rough estimate, go to the Better Bee website and price it up. I'm not saying they are the best or the cheapest, but you can get an idea of a budget.
If you have a local bee club you can probably get some used equipment or borrow some stuff (like an extractor) until you get up and going enough to determine if you need different equipment. |
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You could easily get up to 1K if you have to buy everything.
Suit, gloves, hive tool, smoker. Assuming a traditional langstroth hive, bottom board, 2 deep boxes, inner cover, top cover, frames (10 for each box), 2 medium boxes and frames (10 for each box). You can save money by building these yourself if you have the equipment, but start building RIGHT NOW, cause the season is right around the corner. Don't forget to allow time for painting and off gassing, whether kit or homebuilt. Wax foundation for the frames, wired or unwired depending on her preference. This is just for one hive. And of course, the bees, a package or a nuc. There'll be other stuff, like mite control, and the odds and ends like queen clips, queen markers, smoker fuel, etc. With her experience, she'll know what she wants. Take her shopping, and learn some stuff yourself, maybe you'll get into it too. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
So who all is trying to get a swarm this year? I’m thinking about throwing a couple frames in the nuc I bought a couple years ago and some wood boxes I found at work. Saw a couple bees on on my blueberry bushes today and and don’t know of any keepers within 10 miles.
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Well, down to one potentially viable hive from the three that I had before winter.
2-3 weeks ago we had some warm weather and I got to have a look in my hives. Two were living. Today I check one that was intact from last fall, and there were bees. They ate A LOT of the sugar on the feeder board. But down below in the hive box, I saw two clusters of bees. And as bad luck would have it, I found the queen in the second cluster of dead bees, dead too, So no brood at all and those workers will probably not make it long. They had a decent amount of honey left, but the Cluster must’ve split up and a lot of bees fell dead on the bottom frame. So I guess not enough air movement there. The other hive looked better, some dead bees, and found the original queen, that came from a swarm I found late last spring. But I didn’t see any brood at all. I would’ve though there would be some at this point. I did give them some pollen on the feed board to help them out. I’ve got four packages coming in a few weeks I guess. Will have to go to Mann Lake in Wilkes barre to pick them up. Seems like the sellers and USPS won’t guarantee delivery of live bees anymore. So sellers won’t insure live delivery either. Just not worth the risk and the post office is so screwed up any more. |
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Veteran of the Third Battle of Tannhauser Gate.
ID, USA
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Sad day at the Symptoms household. My single hive died.
Looks like there are diarrhea streaks along the top of the hive... rust-colored streaks near the upper entrance. Looks like everyone's dead... I knocked on the hive and got no response. Bummer. |
"The Creator may be seen in all the works of his hands, but none so clearly in the wise economy of the honey bee."
"Obviously natural selection is bunk. Why are there so many stupid people left?" |
Originally Posted By FrankSymptoms: Sad day at the Symptoms household. My single hive died. Looks like there are diarrhea streaks along the top of the hive... rust-colored streaks near the upper entrance. Looks like everyone's dead... I knocked on the hive and got no response. Bummer. View Quote The poop is normal. They hold it, and first warm day, they get out and let it rip. As for the hive itself, you need to go in and confirm. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Very good chance of mites in either case, and the small cluster could mean different things, queen died, not enough winter bees, moisture, unable to move the cluster to more honey.
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
I have been really looking hard as most beekeepers I know have shared it was probably mites, I have never found mites anywhere.
Never seen a mite on a bee, never seen mites on the bottom board. I’ve spent hours handling them this past season, monitoring, splitting, marking queens etc. such an enjoyable hobby. When you have mites can you see them? I’ve read a ton on mites, looked at plenty of pictures and figure I’d be able to see them. |
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Have you done a alcohol wash, or perhaps broke open some pupae stage brood? Those are a better way to see them. Mites especially like drone brood, because of their longer gestation period.
I have seen mites on live bees, but it's rare. |
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"You know how butt ugly people are said to have hit every branch on the way down the ugly tree.
Well, the dumbass tree done drilled you in the butt and laid eggs in ya." -RJinks |
Jelly roll is similar to the alcohol wash, but doesn’t kill the bees.
But you need a surface you can shake out the jar on to see if mites drop out. That’s interesting about not seeing them on the bees. I always looked and never saw any. There has to be some. Also never saw signs such as deformed wings I used apivar, except on the hives with lots of honey - those I used Mite-Away which is pretty nasty - hold your breath! |
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This late summer we used Mite away quick strips on all of the hives. Pulled the honey supers and with two deep 10 frames remaining placed two strips in each.
First time using the stuff, we live in a fairly windy area so staying up wind was fairly easy. |
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Bears!
I’ve got two hives in the backyard that are big time producers for me. Well, they were. It’s been mild, and they’ve been super busy. Awesome. And then I woke up Thursday morning to find my electric fence wrecked, chicken wire and stake fence trashed and one of my hives dragged fifty feet away and wrecked. Ate some frames, wood and all! Damn. So I suit up and clean it up as best as I can. Bees were PISSED and found a way inside my suit (I took three to the face). Grrrrrrr. I wondered if he’d be back. Friday morning, I had my answer. Now both hives are trashed! The electric fence was working, he just didn’t care. At all. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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You should move to the right lane, where the rule of vehicle and traffic law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and the left lane is the land of wolves now.
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Veteran of the Third Battle of Tannhauser Gate.
ID, USA
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one concern of mine has always been detection of adulterated honey. I found a site that provides some methods!
13 ways to ID pure honey. |
"The Creator may be seen in all the works of his hands, but none so clearly in the wise economy of the honey bee."
"Obviously natural selection is bunk. Why are there so many stupid people left?" |
Originally Posted By jacobsk: I have been really looking hard as most beekeepers I know have shared it was probably mites, I have never found mites anywhere. Never seen a mite on a bee, never seen mites on the bottom board. I’ve spent hours handling them this past season, monitoring, splitting, marking queens etc. such an enjoyable hobby. When you have mites can you see them? I’ve read a ton on mites, looked at plenty of pictures and figure I’d be able to see them. View Quote If you see mites on adult bees, you already have a big problem. >80% of the mites are underneath cappings during times when brood rearing is taking place. Forget opening up drone brood and sugar shakes. Alcohol washes are the most effective way of accurately sampling to determine the mite levels within the colony. Killing 300 bees is nothing considering that a prolific queen can lay 1500 eggs per day. As our state inspector says- 300 bees now or 30,000 later, choose wisely.. |
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