In message <[log in to unmask]>, Robert Brenchley
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Could this be a case of
>a queen having mated with drones of different races, and producing different
>coloured offspring?
This is quite common here in West Cornwall (UK). Hives with mostly black
bees may have a % with 1 or even 2 orange stripes. I have mostly pure
black with some colonies having up to 1/3 and others as little as under
10% one stripe. I take this last to mean there was one drone father from
mixed race out of the 14 or so drones she mated with (average for the
race) the rest being black. I have most of my colonies sited in pairs on
a double stand 6 ft long (2m) separated by 10 or more yards (10m) so
drifting should be minimal.

I have seen colonies with 3 yellow bands and black bees roughly 50:50.
We had an indigenous black bee population augmented by imports mostly of
Italians with a few occasional Carniolans. Now with varroa, we will
presumably have a higher % mixed, unless some wild colonies survive with
the ability to keep varroa down. Some of us prefer the black bee and are
prepared to cull yellow queens or any that are badly mixed. (We have to
look at the sizes of segments to select the Carniolans out). I put
mating nucs at sites where my bees at least are as black and as good
performing as I can get.

Yes, there is a drone mix which bad weather sorts out!! Dark queens and
drones fly at lower temperatures and in wetter weather, well, drizzle
actually. So matings tend to be better IMHO. It is interesting to see
colonies where queens mated very quickly and race away and others where
queens seem to take ages to produce offspring. I am able to cull/combine
to suit my preference for near-native characters.
--
James Kilty