I have recently spoken to a woman in Arizona who "cleaned out" her hives, and
combined feral swarms with her surviving colonies. Though I don't know much
about beekeeping, this seems to make sense to me. She says the bees are quite
docile, and disease/mite free. She does not use any chemicals whatsoever,and
has been having the highest yields she's ever had in some 15 or so years of
beekeeping. She says the cell size is a bit smaller, and this might actually
be a contributing factor to the bee's survival.
if anyone is interested in getting in touch with her, she is glad to share
her experiences, and has helped several beekeepers here in the states(and one
or 2 in canada) become chemical and pest-free. contact me at
[log in to unmask]
she seems like a good resource.
I'm curious if anyone else has tried this method and what their experiences
have been.
anne