honey bee take over

jayj200 · May 12, 2015, 12:45:48 PM

will any honey bee swarm take over a weak hive?
or is it just the Africans that have that type of behavior?

all the while bypassing two empty hives

BeeMaster2 · May 12, 2015, 01:04:41 PM

Usurpation in Italian's was first documented up in Virginia, I do not recall the name of the speaker that talked about it. He did not think he had any African genes in the bees that he videoed doing the Usurpation.
I strongly suspect all of our bees now have some African in them especially yours down south. I also suspect this is where CCD is from, the hive up and moves, looking for food in a new area the way they do in Africa.
Jim

jayj200 · May 12, 2015, 01:12:21 PM

that sheads some light
any body else see it

jayj200 · May 12, 2015, 01:14:02 PM

thanks Jim

been out to lunch for a while

Michael Bush · May 12, 2015, 05:59:53 PM

>will any honey bee swarm take over a weak hive?
or is it just the Africans that have that type of behavior?

Wyatt Magnum would be the guy in Virginia who documented it. I've seen it in a EHB hive in Leominster, MA.

BeeMaster2 · May 12, 2015, 06:50:38 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on May 12, 2015, 05:59:53 PM
>will any honey bee swarm take over a weak hive?
or is it just the Africans that have that type of behavior?

Wyatt Magnum would be the guy in Virginia who documented it. I've seen it in a EHB hive in Leominster, MA.

Thanks Michael. Wyatt is the person I was referring to.
Jim

BeeMcq · May 12, 2015, 08:08:04 PM

In 2013 had a call from a oil field worker say that the had a 45 cal drum with bees in it.
Went out with the guy put a wire rope around the drum, winched it with the hoist on to the truck.
At the time I thought they were some hot bees. Any ways that night we bought the drum back to the yard and put it down about 300 feet from my hives. The next morning I went to inspect the drum to see how I was going to get them out. They need no help from me, watched them come out fast and furious then they landed on one of my hives, proceeded to go into the hive. The resident bees exited the hive ended up on the tree about 60 feet away. It was the fastest move in and evict, awesome to watch the whole thing was over in about 10 -15 minutes. Still have the bees from that drum, they are still in the hive that they took over. Mean bees but good producers, when working them, no smoke ,full body triple layer suit and lots of duck tape. I managed to re hive the originals from that hive. Strange that my bees didn't even put a fight against the invaders.

divemaster1963 · May 12, 2015, 08:47:37 PM

I had a swarm that was at least 10 lbs strong hive last year that was two deeps full. Came home and found them leaving the next day. They landed on a tree and then left it and proceeded to take over a two deep and super hive across my lot. The hive bees left and then merged back. All this happened in two hours before dusk. Still have them and are average temperament. So I think this happens more often than we know and not just to ahb hives. If a scout can gain entrance to a hive and finds it vulnerable it will pass this info on if the take over hive is strong.

I have also seen this when I was child on my uncles farm. He had over 4000 hives with 1000 on his property alone.

Jihn