Wild Hives question

Started by Biddybean, May 29, 2012, 10:59:49 PM

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Biddybean

May 29, 2012, 10:59:49 PM
I've heard that there are very few wild bee hives anymore and that any we may see are due to bee keeper's hives swarming. We've had a wild hive in a sweetgum tree in our front yard for at least 7 years(I believe it's been there much longer). I think it swarmed long before we got our first hive back in 2009, I went outside and there were bees flying everywhere and all over the place. It was surreal but I'm not sure if it was a swarm. Anyway the hive is still doing well high up in the tree and we have no plans to interfere with it.

We were camping in rural VA this weekend and had a honey bee visit us at our campsite. I figured it was from a local farm in the area, but it would be a likely place for a wild hive since there are many tulip poplar's for pollen & hollow trees for shelter.

Are these hives considered wild and what are your experiences with feral hives that don't need removal?

iddee

#1
May 29, 2012, 11:05:51 PM
Join the fun. List it here.

http://www.savethehives.com/
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

BeeMaster2

#2
May 29, 2012, 11:09:42 PM
Feral hives are a great source for bees with good genetics for surviving all of the problems we have imported into this country.
7 years is a good hive. If they are gentle I would set out swarm traps to try to catch them. If they turn out to be good honey producers, you have a winning combination.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

D Semple

#3
May 30, 2012, 10:13:12 AM
We have an abundance of feral hives here in the Kansas City area, some would say an overabundance. Lots of old mature trees and old homes and a dandy little feral type bee. I caught about 10 of the 30 or so swarms this year from the exact same trees I caught swarms from last year.

Don

Biddybean

#4
May 30, 2012, 10:05:06 PM
Thanks for your input and stories. We put our feral hive on savethehives, what a great site! We're still new at bee keeping so we're not set up for catching hive just yet. I'm sure we'll get to that at some point, but at the moment I find it thrilling to know that the feral hive is doing well. I would like to see the wild honey bee population rise.  :mrgreen:

oregonbeeman

#5
May 31, 2012, 01:08:17 AM
I know of one that is 25 years old. I only know of three feral hives that are more than a few years old. Most only seem to last a year or two.
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