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Date: | Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:28:19 -0500 |
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Hello,
REPLY:
Colonies will NOT suffer equally in a nectar dearth. There will be best
performers that may be identified during ‘even during the very worst
years‘. Some colonies will be able to forage further distance, better
scouting abilities etc. The foraging strategy of a honeybee colony
involves surveying the food source patches within a vast area around its
nest, pooling the reconnaissance of its many foragers, and using this
information to focus its forager force on a few high-quality patches within
its foraging area (Seeley). If these traits are not expressed in their
genetics, it will often show at the colony level in the form of stress
during times nectar dearth. Traits affecting foraging and productivity can
sometimes be difficult to assess during times of abundant nectar, but
colonies that lack in the traits associated with productivity will be very
easily identified at low nectar times. IMO, this ‘makes bad years for
honeybees’ potentially excellent opportunities for making critical
assessments associated with particular traits of interest.
No, a lack of food does not select for ‘lesser populated colonies’ in the
north according to Seeley and Visscher because population affects colony
fitness due to the colonies need to collect winter stores.
“Worker population effects a colonies fitness because a larger colony is
able to collect more nectar and store more honey during the active foraging
season, thereby increasing the food reserves that are necessary for it to
survive the winter (Seeley, Visscher).”
You suggest a natural selection during food shortages for ‘lesser populated
colonies‘, which might be applicable for the south. But the reference from
Seeley and Visscher suggest quite the opposite is true in northern climates
with lesser populated colonies less fit due to the need to survive winter.
If desired traits are not expressed in a line of bees, then IMO you would
be better off eliminating undesired stock and selecting from the bees that
have expression of desired traits in there genetics. From what I am seeing
here in PA this year is lesser populated colonies are dieing off and
suffering the most. There are also production colonies managing a surplus
and production colonies starving, so this suggests genetics and expression
of necessary traits is playing a huge role also (at least that appears to
the case here in PA).
Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle
Ecologicalbeekeeping.com
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
Feral Bee Project:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeralBeeProject/
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