Bees in the wild

[Smith21]

Just a couple of silly question. Do any swarms of honey bees live in the wild, also could they live in the wild?

Not a bee keeper at present just getting a bit of information by reading books etc. I am going on a taster course Sunday can not wait.

 

[oliver90owner]

Bees were on this planet millions of years even before our ancestors, who came down from the trees, were even evolving into anything like the present forms.

Of course they lived in the wild. Problem is that man has caused demise of many of the colonies that would live in the 'wild'.

Deforestation, agriculture, and more recently moving bees around the globe (spreading disease and pests across the Earth in much more than double-quick time); the most recent, and that which is most likely to the most effective is pesticides, designed for the good of agriculture but certainly not for the flora and particularly, with regard to this question, fauna.

Unless Man kills all higher forms of life than microbes, bees may still be here when we are only here as part of the fossil record. The other unlikely (but possible) scenario is something else causes the demise of most life forms on the planet. A direct hit of an asteroid on yogi bear's jellystone park might well be enough!

RAB

 

[Chris Luck]

Wild or unmanaged bee colonies are widespread here, I seem to come across another one almost every week although many are in houses, walls, chimneys and so on but many have been there for years and years.

Chris

 

[melon]

I'm keeping an eye on a wild colony in a tree about 1/2 mile from my bees. They are probably a swarm that deserted me after being hived last year. (This year I have hived all swarms with a frame of brood to prevent this) However, there was a colony in a sole tree in the middle of one of our fields here before I ever kept bees.
The 'wild' colony came through the winter well, and are flying well to date. I know that perhaps they are a disease issue (not being treated for varroa) etc, but I am interested to see how long they survive.

 

[Browntea]

Last weekend I went to see a colony that has lived in a barn wall for the last 20 years! Very impressive to see the entrance was so active I couldn't believe what I was seeing, the owner of the farm told me it's about this time of year they swarm, i think I best get a brood box down there sharpish!

 

[Gardenbees]

Yep - they live in old chimneys, trees, sheds, anywhere reasonably sheltered and out of harm's way rolleyes:although some colonies don't seem to have heard of "survival of the species").

There have been wild bees in the yard-thick stone walls of the mediaeval building where I work for as long as anyone can remember. They get in behind a tie-bar about 12ft up on the end wall. It's tantalising to think of all the honey in there: the building is surrounded by lovely, fragrant lime trees! Sometimes they swarm:

 

[huntsman666]

They'll live successfuly for about four years until varroa mites (an import) are too large in number and wipes that colony out.

Beekeepers treat to limit the varroa numbers in their hives. If they don't, the same thing will happen.

 

[Chris Luck]

They'll live successfuly for about four years until varroa mites (an import) are too large in number and wipes that colony out.

Beekeepers treat to limit the varroa numbers in their hives. If they don't, the same thing will happen.

Here we go again, that simply isn't true, why can't people check their facts before making outrageous statements? It's really misleading for new bee keepers or anyone else that doesn't actually know the facts.

Chris

 

[Gardenbees]

As far as I can tell, the colony in our wall has been continuous for many years. This suggests a degree of resilience to varroa (and this in an area with a lot of bees and beekeepers). It's impossible to get at the colony in any way to see what's behind the tie-bar, but I suspect that the interior of the wall is full of loose material, in which case mites which drop off the bees probably fall through the rubble rather than climbing back on. This may account for the healthy appearance of the colony.

For info, they are small, stripey bees of the black-and-gold type beloved of bee illustrators. Probably Italian in origin, from one of the many local apiaries, perhaps originally a stray swarm from years ago.

 

[Andre cardona]

Yep - they live in old chimneys, trees, sheds, anywhere reasonably sheltered and out of harm's way rolleyes:although some colonies don't seem to have heard of "survival of the species").

There have been wild bees in the yard-thick stone walls of the mediaeval building where I work for as long as anyone can remember. They get in behind a tie-bar about 12ft up on the end wall. It's tantalising to think of all the honey in there: the building is surrounded by lovely, fragrant lime trees! Sometimes they swarm:

are they honey bees

 

[Swarm]

Two posts mention 20 years and 'as long as anyone can remember', if this is the case it would appear to suggest they are not suffering too badly.

 

[Andre cardona]

it looks to me like a warm in progres

 

[Smith21]

Thank You

Cheers all for the replies. I am new to this but after reading the book Bees At The Bottom Of My Garden I was amazed on what went on over the year in the bees life. I have now started reading Tom Hooper Guide To Bees & Honey, over half way through the book now what other books would members recommend.

Back to my original question, Bees In The Wild and why I asked the question is because the books I have read and the programs I have watched do not ever mention that Honey Bees do live in the wild so I was wondering if they did or could.

Thanks again for the quick response and information.

Someone mentioned verroa, I was talking to a beekeeper at a local fate and he told me his society was keeping a hive without giving verroa treatment and it seemed to be doing better than other hives with having less Verroa without the treatment, so it indicated that the bees were looking after themselves. Just passing on some info I received.

 

[huntsman666]

<Here we go again, that simply isn't true, why can't people check their facts before making outrageous statements?>

If you've finished with the insults kindly note while you're in France I'm in Ireland where the bees still are still very close to Apis millifera millifera, same as what the U.K. had until the immigrants.

You do know where varroa came from? 'That' would be a fact to start with.

 

[huntsman666]

Two posts mention 20 years and 'as long as anyone can remember', if this is the case it would appear to suggest they are not suffering too badly.

Which only verifies there was a colony using an ideal place for at least twenty years and why not? Not necessarily from the same colony.

 

[richardbees]

Gardenbees

Thank you for the photo and history of the longevity of this colony......

 

[Chris Luck]

No insults, just the facts, bees colonies do not die after 5 years if untreated, some do and some don't and there may be many reasons for that not related to varroa, (V.Queen failing to mate for example). This is true in the mainland UK as well as in France AND you didn't qualify your statement with "This only applies to Ireland".

So, like I said "Here we go again, that simply isn't true, why can't people check their facts before making outrageous statements? It's really misleading for new bee keepers or anyone else that doesn't actually know the facts."

Chris

 

[huntsman666]

<AND you didn't qualify your statement with "This only applies to Ireland".>

There was no need to. My profile shows where I live.

Irish conditions are very similar for beekeeping to those in the U.K.. Similar number of good foraging days for similar latitude, pretty similar climate and daylight hours. One difference is our bees have not been adulterated. All experienced beekeepers know this and if not they should.

You're the odd man out, not me, with respect to location.

 

[Chris Luck]

You don't get it do you?

Your statement.

They'll live successfuly for about four years until varroa mites (an import) are too large in number and wipes that colony out.

Beekeepers treat to limit the varroa numbers in their hives. If they don't, the same thing will happen.

Seems quite clear to me....

I replied.

"Here we go again, that simply isn't true, why can't people check their facts before making outrageous statements? It's really misleading for new bee keepers or anyone else that doesn't actually know the facts."

That stands.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

'That' would be a fact to start with.

Why?

There are places which are varroa free, of course. So that particular 'fact' would not hold true.

Four years eh? That's a new one on me. Probably a new one on most people. Makes me wonder why it is important to check/treat for varroa every year?

Now let's start with one mite and double it each month (an accepted average increase), for nearly fifty times. Another unrelated fact re wild bees. But it should give an idea of the mites left in a hive when the colony dies - ha ha.