Three springs ago, we watched bees swarm and make a home in a tree trunk (now they are in two adjacent trees) behind the shed. Other bees have lived in there before, but this one colony has survived the past two NY winters and is soon to enter the third. The first colony appears to be doing very well. The second one only appeared midsummer. While this tree had bees in past years too, they did not make it through the winter last year.
This spring, I set up one hive set up about 150' to the west, and next spring hope to make a split. I plan on staying with two hives, maybe three. I've also noticed about 4 other bee yards within 3 miles of mine without even looking for them.
Reading this forum has raised some questions:
what can I expect from having feral bees so close to mine? Increased robbing? Better/worse genetics? Should I plan top re-queen on a regular basis or wait and see what I get from the survivors? How about diseases?
Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.
Quote from: paulh on September 09, 2008, 02:47:56 AM
This spring, I set up one hive set up about 150' to the west, and next spring hope to make a split. I plan on staying with two hives, maybe three. I've also noticed about 4 other bee yards within 3 miles of mine without even looking for them.
Ever notice that when you buy a new car you suddenly see hundreds of them on the road, same thing when you start beekeeping, racing pigeons, etc.
QuoteReading this forum has raised some questions:
what can I expect from having feral bees so close to mine? Increased robbing? Better/worse genetics? Should I plan top re-queen on a regular basis or wait and see what I get from the survivors? How about diseases?
Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.
Bees will rob if there is a dearth, ferals not any more so than domestic stock. I requeen about every 3 years, from queens I raise myself. Yearly requeening kills out a lot of desireable traits that have developed in feral stock...survivability and mite tolerence to name 2.
Feral hives are a good way to broaden the genetic deveristy, which is much better than limiting it by constantly requeening.
Feral stock is more disease resistant than domestic stock because they haven't been propped up with chemicals.
Depending on location, I've found my feral Bee's to be better builders, more productive. and healthier. If you can help them and find a safe way to hive them your ending up with the best Bee's. MHO
I'm a newbee..so it might be better to listen to the the sages on this...
If there are that may other beeks around, I wouldn't really consider them feral. Just cast off swarms from other hives in the area.
If they'd been there continuously for 4+ years with no treatment; then I would be excited about getting some of their genes. But they're probably just the same italian/russian muts most of us have all ready.
They won't hurt a thing. the drones will mate with your queens, this will give you stronger bees. Feral bees are a good thing as long as they aren't africanized. Are you in a location that can produce africanized bees?
Jim
Leave 'em where they are and enjoy them for what they are, put out swarm traps and you may catch some from this colony next spring.
I have bees in a tree near my apiary and I enjoy watching them.
...JP
One way of denoting feral bees over domestic stock is the size of the bee. Smaller bees are usually feral as they are from foundationless combs. Although if you have a small cell or foundationless beekeeper in the area it would be harder to tell. Feral and foundationless hives also have workers and drones of different sizes as the comb size varies more than with foundation hives.
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on September 09, 2008, 03:57:49 PM
One way of denoting feral bees over domestic stock is the size of the bee. Smaller bees are usually feral as they are from foundationless combs. Although if you have a small cell or foundationless beekeeper in the area it would be harder to tell. Feral and foundationless hives also have workers and drones of different sizes as the comb size varies more than with foundation hives.
Size and perhaps the color of the bees can be a hint, my bees are very mixed in color, of course they're all from cut-outs though.
...JP