Hei all,
Tim Wilson posted the following to sci.agr.beekeeping. I must say the
means of transporting bees by ship is something I've often wondered
about. Could our Aussie and/or Kiwi members answer the questions?
 
 
>I am an 8th grader in the USA, and I am doing a science report about
>bees and how they get to different places.
>
>I read that until about 140 years ago, New Zealand didn't have enough
>bees or the right kind, and so they were imported from Europe.
>
>What I don't know is, how would you do this? Take a queen? Or a whole
>hive? And how could the hive last that long? (wouldn't it have taken a
>long time to go from Europe to New Zealand in the 1850's?)
>
>And also, I have read that Australia has plenty of bees.  Why wouldn't
>they have gotten to New Zealand? Do bee swarms not go that far?  And
>anyway, even if the swarsm don't go that far, how come they didn't
>just import Australian bees?
>
>I know these are a lot of questions, and you don't have to answer all
>of them (you don't really have to answer any of them, right?) My big
>question is, how could you keep a queen or a hive or eggs alive at sea
>for weeks and weeks in the 1850's?
>
>Thank you for your help. If I get a good grade, I'll post it here!
>
>Signed, Tim Wilson
>
>PS By the way, are you supposed to say "hive" or "colony"? I want to
>call things the right name.
>
> [log in to unmask]
> Mon, 20 Apr 1998 19:22:28 -0700
 
Cheers, Tony Morgan
Trondheim, Norway