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Date: | Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:24:52 +0930 |
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Malcolm T.Sanford wrote:
>How about the Ligurian bees of Kangaroo Island in Australia?
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Island
>
>As a beekeeper on Kangaroo Island, I am glad this was mentioned. I
>was debating whether to jump in but was a bit shy about sticking my
>neck out in such distinguished company.
I did meet Malcolm on an post-Apimondia tour of Kangaroo Island.
Although the Ligurian bee sanctuary lists three hives being brought
to Kangaroo Island to commence conservation of this pure strain for
future generations, there is oral history about a queen bee breeder
around 1886 which is more vague. DNA testing was done about 10 - 12
years ago. I believe there have been some articles written about
this research but the only information that has been passed back to
the Island beekeepers is that the tests establish there has been no
hybridization with other strains of bees for over 100 years.
The government run Bee Farm at the western end of the Island took
steps to avoid inbreeding. The memoirs of the beekeeper at that
time, John Masterman, mentions encouraging swarming to spread the bee
population and migrating hives to different locations for queen
mating flights. The Bee Farm operated until the 1940s when a bush
fire burned out most of the floral sources for the park area.
I capture between 20 - 50 swarms every season from locations close to
my home and from around apiary sites. The naturalised population can
usually be identified by being a small swarm as they issue from tree
hollows with limited space. Natural selection has been the driving
force as nectar sources are cyclical with some seasons providing
honey flows for as little as 8 weeks and other seasons year
round. The naturalized population has not been subject to selection
by beekeeper for productivity or temperament and there is
considerable variation in these qualities but also they are extremely
good survivors in harsh times. Each captured swarm must be assessed
from beekeeper management point of view but at least 10% of the
swarms match the most productive managed hives.
Some areas of the Island are isolated pockets as far as bee
populations are concerned. Without migration of managed hives into
these zones, there seems to have developed particular genetic traits,
such as a red queen (very placid), or small dark queens with
aggressive hives. The classic Ligurian tan brown queen is common
across areas where corridors of continuously flowering vegetation
have been retained.
Perhaps the isolated pockets would die out in time through inbreeding
unless there is intervention from beekeepers. The small dark queens
certainly display poor brood viability. However the Island is large
enough to maintain a permanent naturalised honeybee population and
the geographic isolation from the mainland of South Australia ensures
that the genetic pool will remain closed.
Betty McAdam
Hog Bay Apiary,
Penneshaw,
Kangaroo Island
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
J.H. & E. McAdam<[log in to unmask]>
http://www.users.on.net/~hogbay/index.htm
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