This story was reported last July, filled with nuggets of "wisdom"

He is arranging for DNA testing to learn about their lineage, how isolated they really are etc. Early results indicate a high Amm percentage.

Several swarms had multiple queens – one swarm had 9 queens. 

They are storing very little honey over winter, which he doesn’t understand yet, but it doesn’t seem to impact their survival rate.

He is seeing an interesting selection factor: in tree cavities colonised by swarms from conventional hives (yellower bees), the bees build comb differently to the real wild bees. They have been selected, by humans, to build flat sheets – which is not optimal for defence or climate control, and they die off quickly in tree cavities.

Bees tend to look for familiar hive cavities. Wild bees from trees look for trees. Managed bees tend to recognise hives as homes.

One colony survived a lightning strike on the tree, possibly due to its propolis envelope acting as a Faraday Cage.

https://oxnatbees.wordpress.com/2021/07/23/onbg-meeting-july-2021-blenheim-wild-bees

World Heritage Site at Blenheim, about 2 miles from Oxford International Airport. Isolated?

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