Yoon Sik Kim <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I still find primary swarms this late in July (no, they are worth
>more than a fly in my book).
Before 2003 I often found late swarms to be infested with varroa. But
now, I am finding primary feral swarms up until mid July. And what is
encouraging to me is that the feral swarms lately are quite large and
appearing extremely healthy and relatively varroa free. In seasons past
from about 2003 and earlier, even the prime swarms were a bit small and
seeming to look a tad sickly and some varroa.
This for example is a prime swarm from a bee tree section in my assessment
yard, swarms looking good the past few years:
http://tinyurl.com/25d7bw
I will tend to place July swarms temporary in bee logs to winter them, and
remove them in the spring. Late swarms winter much better and unassisted
in this configuration.
Swarm entering:
http://tinyurl.com/2877ht
4 days later:
http://tinyurl.com/27dpup
… I am debating if I should increase their
>number by buying queens from outside, something I have not done for years
>now.
After assessing ferals against commercial stock for sometime, I made the
decision in 2003 to eliminate all lines from known commercial sources, and
lines that do not match the looks of the feral that does best in my area.
Generally. Feral queens doing best in my area have golden abdomens and
darker towards the tip and no stripes.
Here is a good candidate I caught entering my ‘foot locker trap’.
Just ‘close the lock and go!’ ;)
http://tinyurl.com/2784op
>Unless for improving the so-called “intra-colonial genetic diversity” (I
>love this mouthful jargon), I do not buy queens from outside, and when I
>do, I want Carniolans.
Have you determined the type of feral that does best in your area?
Is it the Carniolan types?,,, or is this decision because they are
your ‘favorite commercial type bee’ ?
Invariably, to increase the number and thwart
>swarming, I do walk-away splits as early in the spring as possible,
>thinking this way I can maintain the local gene pool, adapted to the local
>specifics, of my area—
A very good policy for northern beeks also!
I maintain locally adapted stock by trapping woodland and remote ferals
and assessing all swarms thru the growth stage before intergrating them.
Bee trees are brought to my assessment yard and allowed to hive off year
after year. Being dependant on the local ferals for mating, this has
aided tremendously in the resurgence of the feral population in my area
and also being reflected in my outyards with much better mating.
Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA ‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
FeralBeeProject.com
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HoneybeeArticles
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