--- Keith Malone <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> There were none smaller than 4.9mm, say 4.8mm down
> to 4.6mm maybe?
>
I regret that I did not take more measurements of
this colony:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/naturebee/detail?.dir=d450&.dnm=851f.jpg&.src=ph
But the center of the broodnest where I measured was
the smallest at 4.9 i have not noticed any cells in
my area smaller than 4.9 Other nests from casual
observation look to be no smaller than 4.9 or so.
>
> So your not a novice feral colony collector? Your
> casual observations of
> feral bees are probably very valuable to many
> beekeepers.
I originally thought I would find most ferals in prime
habitat farmland. I have found some there. But this
year I started trapping in the woodlands and for some
reason I am having good success with this strategy.
Perhaps it's because the ridge lands here have been
logged and not much old growth, prime voids might be
in short supply here.
> Can I ask if you monitor mites and by what method?
I don't monitor my mites. Only method I use is the
LOD method or 'live or die'. Colonies with high mite
loads die, and low mite loads live. ;>)
> Do these characteristics
> maintain themselves after transference to your
> equipment?
This year I have started keeping records of where each
colony I caught was located and I am seeing that to
the most part, bees caught in isolated areas where I
suspect a high degree of feral blood,,,, The colony
will start brooding up fairly rapid on small cell.
Other colonies seem like the small cells are stressful
on them, supercedure and bad brood patterns and
sometimes queen failure are common. I usually have
these colonies weeded out by July, it's easy, the
difference is striking.
Woodland ferals
> meaning?,
middle of the woods, and high ridge land. Traps
placed along open areas.
some distance from domestic/managed
> colonies, and if so how far
> away?
2 miles or so. I'm sure there is some domestic
influence on the bees, but the further away I catch
them, the better bees I get.
I see propolis as being highly beneficiary
> along with the broodnest
> priming. How is the honey production compared to
> non-feral or other races by
> percentage.?
Last year I finally recovered enough numbers to get
some hives down in some prime farmland. A swarm from
one of my ferals grew to two deeps and filled 3
mediums by fall. Haven't had these ferals in the
farmland long enough to make any accurate production
claims just yet, but I thought this swarm did very
well.
>
> So you have not yet reached the five year threshold
> for surviving varroa
> that many believe is needed to claim complete
> survival success?
I haven't reached the 5 year claim yet, but I recall
the number at 3 years which I believe is what Penn
State says colonies must survive to be considered as
potential survivors. me thinks,,
It does
> sound like you are doing very great and success is
> just around the corner.
> Your success is something for to keep an eye open
> for. It's good to know all
> your bees did not die and you are not no longer a
> beekeeper.
I agree with you that 5 years is the better assessment
period. I have started testing a yard of 10 small
cell colonies for hygienic traits using the pin prick
method. 6 out of 10 tested hygienic. 5 of these
colonies removed 100% of the dead larvae. They say
that without selecting, only 10% should be hygienic,
but these tested higher than the average. Sure will
make selection for breeding allot easier for me.
How are your bees doing Keith?
>
> Do you keep these in separate yards from your
> survivors?
Some of the ferals I keep are in this yard, but most
are swarms I am assessing and cutouts. You do know
already that I assess my bees in the ridge where
conditions are not so good for bees after the tree
bloom ends. This makes it very easy for me to select
the best. The thrivers really stand out from the dud
swarms.
Joe
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