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Date: | Wed, 16 May 2007 20:02:48 -0400 |
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Drones & DCA’s - “the nearer the better!”
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http://www.springerlink.com/content/k4503054483137v5/
“At 2 drone congregation areas (DCA) the relation between drone presence
and distance to the apiary of origin was studied. Two methods were
applied. First, drones were caught and marked on the DCA and later
recovered in the colonies. Second, drones which were marked before at the
apiary (in the colonies) were subsequently recaptured on both DCAs. The 2
methods led to identical conclusions. Consistently in each of 3 years the
majority of the drones from each of the 3 apiaries was found at the nearer
DCA. There was, however, no direct correlation between the flight
distances and the ratio of drones visiting from each apiary.”
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Let me start by saying “perhaps”,,,, :)
With drone mating flights taking 20-30 minutes, and an average of 2-4
flights per day. It would make sense that a drone would want to visit
only a few nearby DCAs, and choosing closer DCA’s to conserve energy and
increase the length of time spent in the chosen DCA. While queens tending
to fly directly to the DCA, mating on average 1.25 miles away perhaps to
reduce the risk.
This is relatively a small area in which the drones and queens are
choosing to mate. With DCAs tending to form at intersections of linear
land features such as the a row of trees and a stream etc., and queens
mating at an average of 1.25 miles from the nest, while drones tending to
choose the nearest DCA‘s. The implications for woodland feral breeding
separation from domestic colonies in the farm lands cannot be discounted.
Woodland feral drones perhaps choosing DCA’s related to the nearby linear
land features such as where ridgelines meet, and drones in the lowlands
which tend to be domestic beekeeping areas choosing DCA’s related to
nearby linear land features found in the lowlands. Considering this, you
could potentially have a relatively decent degree of separation between
woodland feral matings and domestic honeybees in an area of forest
relatively small in size. Perhaps, the so called total “isolation” is
really not needed.
Best Wishes,
Joe
feralbeeproject.com
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