--- Keith Malone <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From your collecting, and I assume examination of
> feral colonies, what is
> your observation of the natural percentage of drone
> cells in these colonies
> and where was the drone cells in relation to storage
> cells and worker cells?

Drone cells in mature feral nests from casual
observation seem to be just under 20%.  But drone
cells in soem of these mature feral colonies can be
located 2 or 3 feet from the broodnest,  and I notice
that the queen will travel the length over empty comb
to lay the drone there.

> What were the measurements, range, and percentage of
> worker cells in these
> feral colonies?

4.9 to 5.2 or so.  From casual observation percentage
of 4.9 cells was about 40% and sizes varied up from
there.  Dennis Merrell made a nice study of the cell
sizes from a picture of one of my feral nests.

How many years have you been finding
> these feral colonies?

I started focusing on collecting ferals after talking
with Dee in 2000.  So for about 5 years I placed high
emphasis on collecting ferals.

> What is the temper of these wild feral colonies
> compared to other races
> beekeepers today keep normally?

I compare them to mild mannered Italians, but
responsive to smoke like caucasians.

Are there any other
> characteristics that of
> these wild feral colonies that stand out as
> important and beneficiary?

Mite resistance,  extreme overall good health, very
nice brood patterns especially in the woodland ferals,
more propolis, easily calmed by smoke, more pollen in
the broodnest, and good pre flow buildups.

One
> more question, how many truly wild feral colonies do
> you think you have
> located,

This is a very good question. I can only attempt to
assign probability that they are feral based on the
evidence available.  I don't care what ship they may
have came over here on in the 1600's  and I don't care
if they just happened to escape from some careless
beekeepers apiary 5 years ago.  I am looking for bees
that have lived without mans hand for several years
and have the least influence from nearby domestic
colonies and treatments.

I would say during 00-03 2 or 3 out of ten swarms and
one out of five cutouts are what I would call true
ferals.  But, ferals were still recovering in numbers
then and were few and far.  But during 04-05 I started
trapping in  woodlands and am having good success.
I'm estimating a majority of these are ferals.

how many of these have you transferred to
> langstroth hives, and how
> many of these are still alive and for how long?

I was regressed to small cell in 2002,  I have 20
colonies,  10 have been living without treatments
since 2002

I'm finding that I collect about 10 to 15 swarms (not
from my colonies ;>) per season ans ascess them in
singles.  I will generally will have selected out half
of these colonies by September.  Some just don't start
up on small cell well and I destroy these,  and the
others may not show too much domestic qualities for my
taste.



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