British Black Bee

[Erichalfbee]

My point is that it doesn’t matter what they are ( for us hobby keepers anyway) If they suit.

 

[Finman]

If you need very black bees, get Causians.

.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

or a can of spray paint

 

[robinharman]

Reminds me - is there any news on the Blenheim Blacks?

 

[Lislarybees]

Define genuine, I doubt there's a genuine anything these days.
Let's say DNA analysis defines it, at what point is purity acceptable? 85%? 95%? or is only 100%?

We had very good results with DNA analysis on our local bees and by direct comparison with the Amm colonies, you would never tell them apart.*
Certainly in tune with their environment, when others were reporting starving bees or worryingly low stores back in Spring, our colonies ticked over and required no emergency feeding When the season finally decided to improve, they took full advantage and brought in a stunning honey crop. One site with ten honey producers made 730+ lbs.

Winter feeding per hive consisted of twelve pints of invert, some thymol emulsion added plus Ivy.
Winter treatment applied in September, OA strips. No mid Winter treatment.
Temperament very good.

Every year without fail, I am humbled by these beautiful creatures and what they manage to achieve.

* Correction, the one noticeable difference was mite drop. None of the colonies have high drops but the Amm were always higher.

Spot the difference ....

Can I ask what you mean by very good results. Were your local bees a high percentage Amm when tested?

 

[Murox]

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well there are quite a few folk here with Jon Getty’s Irish Amm genes. I tried twice. Queens survived introduction only to be replaced as soon as they were laying. So I’ve given up. I have two of Ceri’s queens overwintering which might be a sort of compromise.

 

[Swarm]

Can I ask what you mean by very good results. Were your local bees a high percentage Amm when tested?

A high proportion of tested colonies were somewhere in that sliding scale, the others were around 70+%
I'd long suspected a high percentage background population and it was great to have the opportunity to prove it.

This is a comb from an exceptional colony with no introduced heritage. We planned to raise queens from her this year but sadly, they superseded.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is there any difference between Scottish, Irish, Welsh and English Amm? Apart from language.
Or are some more Amm than others?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well there are quite a few folk here with Jon Getty’s Irish Amm genes. I tried twice. Queens survived introduction only to be replaced as soon as they were laying. So I’ve given up. I have two of Ceri’s queens overwintering which might be a sort of compromise.

I have three out of four that haven't superseded from John.
Overall this season just under a third have superseded, a mixture of Welsh, English, Irish blacks,
The bucks haven't.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have three out of four that haven't superseded from John.
Overall this season just under a third have superseded, a mixture of Welsh, English, Irish blacks,
The bucks haven't.

Around a third of your entire stock have superseded ?

 

[Lislarybees]

A high proportion of tested colonies were somewhere in that sliding scale, the others were around 70+%
I'd long suspected a high percentage background population and it was great to have the opportunity to prove it.

This is a comb from an exceptional colony with no introduced heritage. We planned to raise queens from her this year but sadly, they superseded.

That is great to hear. Were your bees tested as part of Dylan Elens study? His Sicamm talk was very interesting.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Around a third of your entire stock have superseded ?

No no new queens either home reared or bought in this season.
Out of sixteen four have.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah a quarter

 

[Curly green finger's]

A high proportion of tested colonies were somewhere in that sliding scale, the others were around 70+%
I'd long suspected a high percentage background population and it was great to have the opportunity to prove it.

This is a comb from an exceptional colony with no introduced heritage. We planned to raise queens from her this year but sadly, they superseded.

English near natives. one of my home reared queen's not that much difference to yours Steve.
Irish
Welsh.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Ah a quarter

Aye, interesting that none of my bucks have though.

 

[Finman]

Im not keeping them to get loads of honey, moe to help expand the British bee

To get loads of honey, you need good pastures, and other apiaries far away from your bees.

It is not easy at all " to take 100 -150 kg honey from best hive". It easy with buckfast if the hive has good pastures.

Just rear Local British Mongrels with open mating, it is easiest way to go on. What ever breed you buy, after 2-3 years, you do noy know what they are. After swarming hives loose their original features. And if they swarm every year...

That is the vision obout near future of special bees.
.

 

[Curly green finger's]

To get loads of honey, you need good pastures, and other apiaries far away from your bees.

It is not easy at all " to take 100 -150 kg honey from best hive". It easy with buckfast if the hive has good pastures.

Just rear Local British Mongrels with open mating, it is easiest way to go on. What ever breed you buy, after 2-3 years, you do noy know what they are. After swarming hives loose their original features. And if they swarm every year...

That is the vision obout near future of special bees.
.

Can we stop calling them mongrels beowulf Cooper would be turning in his grave.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can we stop calling them mongrels

Why? it's a factual description

 

[Curly green finger's]

I would of thought you having near natives you would feel the same.
I agree with him.