Does anyone keep native black honey bees?

[Hunajavelho]

Brandstrups site says they're direct descendants of bro Adams Exmoor stock , I've always been told that's 50ish% Amm, 30ish% ligustica plus others.
I certainly can't swear to that though.

That is the foundation, then they have been crossed over and over again with several strains of wich still are the basis for the different lines, most common is anatolica, macedonica, cecropia

and african mostly, sahariensis, monticola, capensis

In Denmark (Brandsturp, Nielsen and other..) in the past decade by caucasica, carnica and carpatica.

Here is the pedigrees for those interested, it goes back all the way to the beginning and continues...

http://perso.fundp.ac.be/~jvandyck/homage/elver/

 

[Hunajavelho]

Carsten Dalbol in Denmark has most of the old lines.

buckfast.biz

 

[B+.]

Here is the pedigrees for those interested, it goes back all the way to the beginning and continues...

Is there a reason why Brandstrup doesn't appear in that list?

 

[Swarm]

Can we not let this thread be ruined like all the others about amm, please?

I repeat the same, polite request. The OP has nothing to do with honey harvests or comparison and certainly not between buckfast and carnica.
It would also be useful to cease belittling the efforts of others. I for one, would certainly not dream of doing this to either buckfast or carnica discussion.

 

[B+.]

I'm interested in keeping black bees (Apis Mellifera Mellifera) and wanted to get the opinion of people who already keep them. Can anyone help enlighten me more?

Have you thought how you might maintain them? After a couple of years (or possibly sooner) they'll want to replace their queen. You'll either have to buy in new queens or rear your own (somehow).

 

[mbc]

The op is from 2012, the thread was resurrected with the comparison photo's a few days ago.

 

[Hunajavelho]

Is there a reason why Brandstrup doesn't appear in that list?

Look in the archives. Brandstrup stoped sometime in 2000... for some reason, but he still keeps record, just not there - waste of time of his part...?
A few other highly ranked danes also has quit updating there..

PS. Sorry, but this thread got hijacked along time ago, so moderator can delete if he so sees it...

 

[mbc]

The Torfhaus group came from a land-based site which couldn't be desribed as completely secure but the Neuwerk queens were pure A.m.c..

I seem to recall that there was an mRNA assay done which showed a level of Amm mRNA in even the most supposedly pure Amc (not that this detracts from these bees and their performance, just goes to show that most bees are somewhat mixed if you look hard enough).
I'll see if my google phoo is up to digging up a reference.

 

[user 6228]

I have thought about it as it would be interesting to see any difference in a bee that isthought to be more adapted to the UK. The thing I would be interested in is its response to light levels.
The UK while not having low temperatures does have much lower sunlight hours compared to not only to area where the italian bees originate but even Helsinki . Note I say sunlight hours.
The temperate maritime climate is dominated by cloudy conditions and when you put bees in low heat loss hives their activity certainly appears to be driven by light intensity.

 

[B+.]

A few other highly ranked danes also has quit updating there..

Thanks for the info Hunajavelho.
Threads often diverge from their original purpose on this forum. Sometimes interesting side discussions spring from them though so I think the moderator is wise to allow them to happen naturally.

 

[mbc]

Thanks for the info Hunajavelho.
Threads often diverge from their original purpose on this forum. Sometimes interesting side discussions spring from them though so I think the moderator is wise to allow them to happen naturally.

"Like"

 

[mbc]

That is the foundation, then they have been crossed over and over again with several strains of wich still are the basis for the different lines, most common is anatolica, macedonica, cecropia

and african mostly, sahariensis, monticola, capensis

In Denmark (Brandsturp, Nielsen and other..) in the past decade by caucasica, carnica and carpatica.

Here is the pedigrees for those interested, it goes back all the way to the beginning and continues...

http://perso.fundp.ac.be/~jvandyck/homage/elver/

"capensis" really? I'd be quite surprised. Arent they the cape bee who can do weird cast hermaphrodyte things?

 

[B+.]

activity certainly appears to be driven by light intensity.

Although I live in Bedfordshire, I still have family living on Tyneside. When I drive north to visit, there is a marked difference in temperature (anecdotally as much as 3 degrees). There is also a huge difference in crop maturity, The same crops can be as much as 3 weeks behind in the North-East than they are down in Bedfordshire. I am sure this is true of other areas of the country too.
If there is so much difference in the crops, it makes sense that bee colonies would be affected in a similar way. Your point about light levels is well taken as the angle of the sun must surely be different the further north you go

 

[Hunajavelho]

"capensis" really? I'd be quite surprised. Arent they the cape bee who can do weird cast hermaphrodyte things?

Yes, it's not written as capensis, because some Austrian breeders have "maybe" smuggled some eggs/semen.
But the lines of "Margret's hive", "Graaf-Reinet" should be of capensis origin.

 

[SDM]

"Like"

Tak!

 

[madasafish]

Although I live in Bedfordshire, I still have family living on Tyneside. When I drive north to visit, there is a marked difference in temperature (anecdotally as much as 3 degrees). There is also a huge difference in crop maturity, The same crops can be as much as 3 weeks behind in the North-East than they are down in Bedfordshire. I am sure this is true of other areas of the country too.
If there is so much difference in the crops, it makes sense that bee colonies would be affected in a similar way. Your point about light levels is well taken as the angle of the sun must surely be different the further north you go

We are 150 metres above sealevel - on the side of an 230 meter high hill.
Drive 5 miles onto the edge of Cheshire plain in Congleton and it is 2-3C warmer. Drive a further 10 miles and it is an additional 2C warmer.


Very noticeable when our daffodils are not quite out and those in warmer locations are virtually finished..

 

[For want of a better word]

We are 150 metres above sealevel - on the side of an 230 meter high hill.
Drive 5 miles onto the edge of Cheshire plain in Congleton and it is 2-3C warmer. Drive a further 10 miles and it is an additional 2C warmer.


Very noticeable when our daffodils are not quite out and those in warmer locations are virtually finished..

Before the Vitara went to the big scrapyard beyond... I would note the temperature as often being 2 to three degrees colder on the ridgeway ( A390) than in the valley below.... and little to do with Sweet Nightingales either!

Must get a thermometer for the Landrover!

Yeghes da

 

[wightbees]

Well I just come back from Portsmouth and it was bloody freezing..

 

[Erichalfbee]

We have snow!
Should bung on the syrup, I guess

 

[Cussword]

We have snow!
Should bung on the syrup, I guess