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But if a difference though, between thousands of years of natural selection vs 30 years of human panicked fumbling. I find the Japanese hives interesting too. I like the continuous comb aspect in particular but I’d hate to try and harvest it in the autumn (in the UK) I guess the solution...

that’s all fine and I broadly agree. But 2 of likely many problems are 1) we are all subject in-part to what our neighbouring beeks are doing or not-doing, via their drones and also transfer of diseases through robbing etc. And 2) Simply going treatment-free and accepting the losses would...

Good grief…

The situation would be that of specific colonies mentioned in this thread such as in a church roof etc. I am saying that one cannot draw conclusions from things that haven’t been established as fact. ALL that is known in those particular cases, is that they were there, and that SOME bees had...

that isn’t even close to the situation being discussed. So far I can tell, there aren’t lots of feral colonies in the area, there aren’t local treatment free keepers in the same locale and nobody has taken a look, be it your guy or my guy, or me, or anyone.

Yes. Which in our analogous situation, hasn’t happened. All that’s happened is someone pointed to a car sitting in the lay-by and said some things about it based on the fact that a similar car was there and looked just as good some time ago.

If someone tried to sell me a bike that is a special bike with special properties and then tried to insist that at least having a decent bike mechanic look it-over thoroughly before I was prepared to commit, I would tell them to sling their hook.

When you buy a car and someone says they have only had it for X years from new and it was well maintained, you ask for proof and expect to receive it without argument, if you are genuinely interested in buying.

(Quote shortened just for brevity) It is precisely the LACK of observation that I am pointing out. You manage your hives. The actual subject of discussion is very specifically NOT managed hives. Pointing at a cavity somewhere and saying “hey look, there were bees here X years ago, and there...

Sure. Nobody (I don’t think, certainly not most people) are saying it CAN’T be true, and to the good. What is being said is that simply making a claim about any particular colony isn’t enough. A nice story that seems to fit the facts is only that: a story. And the fact that such colonies CAN...

Theoretically yes, and one can use cheesewire to separate them. But Warre hives are known for "false floor syndrome", with not much known about why it happens.

I actually believe that the warre system would work better if the comb was continuous as in the Japanese hive and would be keen to try it. Taking honey wouldn't be an issue: wait until the following spring flow and take what they haven't used over winter. But can you imagine trying to treat...

Actually, rather than waiting to see how long-lived such colonies seem to be with webcams or weekly visits etc... why not just grab 'em? Not right now I'd suggest, but after some build-up in the spring. They would need to go to an appropriate beek who has a good-sized breeding program and can...

I am well aware of that, but we are discussing feral colonies which may or may-not be in fact resistant/hygienic. This is a very different thing from treatment-free but nevertheless managed colonies.

I am quite prepared to believe it, in fact I very much hope it’s true. But for anyone to act upon it or for it to have any meaningful weight, much more than opinion is required, regardless of how expert the opinion may be. It strikes me as entirely possible to do something about that.

I wonder what it would take to arrange to place a webcam outside their entrance so that swarming in either direction can be checked, or prolonged lack of activity.

I know others will be thinking this, so I will post it, hoping for a great answer that can put it to rest: if the colonies are not being managed, then what evidence is there that the colonies are the same continuous occupation? Rather than periodically collapsing and then being repopulated by...

I assume that the grooves need to be less than a bee-space in width, and deep enough to be significant to the bees (whatever that turns out to be, but something in the back of my mind from a lecture makes me think 7mm deep) I don’t know if that suggests why it hasn’t worked for you or whether...

If you make a cup of tea, settle down for an hour and then type “Marla Spivak propolis” into YouTube you’ll get the whole picture so far as it is known. Propolis is definitely your (and the bees’) friend :) Love this project and following with interest.

Yeah he may have moved-on. But it was clear from his reply that he treats conventionally and finds that the resulting mite-count in drone brood early-on is too small to be worth culling (especially because he wants drones around)