CCD and swarming

jimmyo · April 06, 2007, 08:22:25 PM

I'm planning to set out extra swarm traps this year. If a colony anywhere is strong enough to swarm it might be possible to pass on the genetic material that is fighting ccd. What if we keep the swarm queens just to see how well the colony does through winter?
What if we are killing off our bees by "helping" them too much? Shouldn't the strong survive?

Understudy · April 06, 2007, 10:45:24 PM

CCD is unlikely to be an issue with swarms.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

wayne · April 11, 2007, 04:48:36 PM

I've seen a couple comments lately that make me wonder. Someone commented on a site that they don't think feral hives last more than a year and that bee trees that seem years old are just being re-used by other swarms.
Could this be a factor on CCD? Have we finally bred a bee so dependant on manipulation that it cannot survive more than a few weeks or months without us? That are so used to being disturbed and robbed that they are lost if left alone?

Understudy · April 11, 2007, 11:10:34 PM

Quote from: wayne on April 11, 2007, 04:48:36 PM
I've seen a couple comments lately that make me wonder. Someone commented on a site that they don't think feral hives last more than a year and that bee trees that seem years old are just being re-used by other swarms.
Could this be a factor on CCD? Have we finally bred a bee so dependant on manipulation that it cannot survive more than a few weeks or months without us? That are so used to being disturbed and robbed that they are lost if left alone?

My feral hives are more than a year old. I have removed feral hives that are many years old.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Michael Bush · April 12, 2007, 12:03:06 AM

>Could this be a factor on CCD? Have we finally bred a bee so dependant on manipulation that it cannot survive more than a few weeks or months without us?

We've certainly done our best.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm#feralbees
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm

I find a lot of ferals. Many other beekeepers I know find a lot of ferals.

Jerrymac · April 12, 2007, 12:46:34 AM

I heard something similar. That the bees don't last long and others move in. But the places I have removed bees the people say they have been there every year for ________ (number) of years. There hasn't been any bees move into the places where I have removed bees.

I think people say this because many just don't want to believe that bees can make it with out man's help. I just don't understand that reasoning. What did bees do before man came along?

jimmyo · April 12, 2007, 08:15:32 PM

One of our strongest hives is one that I "rescued " from a downed tree last summer. I didn't replace the queen just to see how she would do. We'll see after the locust blossom blooms.
jim