>  I am very interested
> hearing what everyone else's IPM plan is.

Hello,

My IPM is 'small cell' & 'ferals'.  Bees thriving, and
ZERO treatments since 2002.  If I may comment on your
wish to have your drones mate with the feral
population.  'Mature survivor' feral colonies that I
have examined are generally of small cell size to some
degree.  Small cell may help you with this goal.
There is a citation that suggests assortative mating
(small drones preferring mating with small queens,
and large preferring mating with large) in honeybee
drones.

"It is possible that differential mechanical and
tactile cues resulted in assortative mating by drones.
The drone's first two pairs of legs grasp the model
abdomen dorsally, while the last pair of legs grasp it
laterally and ventrally (Gary and Marston, 1971).
Small drones may have been unable to grasp the larger
OD models properly in order to copulate successfully,
or they may not have received the proper tactile
stimuli for copulation to be elicited. The same might
be said of large drones mating with small OD models."
(Coelho & Taylor)

=====
Joe Waggle ~ Organic Beekeeper,  Derry, PA
'Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
"Using humane and holistic beekeeping methods"
~ 100% Organic ~ Small Cell Beekeeping ~
     ~ ORGANIC PITTSBURGH STEELER FAN! ~



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