Feral Colonies

[Fahey]

Earlier in the year I think there was a thread asking for info on feral colonies and if they had survived over winter. I know of two colonies in Cumbria, one in a wall and the other in a tree, not sure how they have been there (although locals say there have been bees there for a number of years). Do we have any feedback from members about whether feral bees are surviving or not.

 

[Luminos]

Last year I noticed a feral colony up in the trunk of a tree - it's still there.

 

[Tom Bick]

Personally I think to call them feral is not right

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Personally I think to call them feral is not right

Had a wild colony behind a gravestone set in the wall of the old chapel, up on the mountainside. The entrance was about two beespace wide and two inches long. They have been there for countless years (My mother's cousin, also a beekeeper would go past and check they were O.K. in the week leading up to palm Sunday when he went to tidy up his parents' grave) This year I saw they were there on Palm Sunday but by April they had died out. I think the extended winter was just too much for them

 

[Luminos]

Personally I think to call them feral is not right

I've called my bees far worse things when they've stung me, lol

 

[Tom Bick]

I've called my bees far worse things when they've stung me, lol

I think we all have

 

[Neil]

I was called out to a swarm earlier on in the year. The bees were nesting above the bay window of a house I was informed that they had been there for more than five years. So to me this proves that feral colonies can survive and must be combating Varroa.

 

[Itchy]

I was called out to a swarm earlier on in the year. The bees were nesting above the bay window of a house I was informed that they had been there for more than five years. So to me this proves that feral colonies can survive and must be combating Varroa.

Or are dying out and being recolonized on a regular basis.....just a thought.

 

[Neil]

Unfortunately they were removed because the neighbours had been complaining for more then five years to the housing association. Personally I thought they were causing no harm but I don't live there so it was out on my hands.

 

[user 6228]

Bees surviving longer with neglect? There's a thought

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe they were attracted by the Kingspan in the roof

 

[Dishmop]

Personally I think to call them feral is not right

Unkept bees?

 

[Melbee]

We've got a feral colony living in one of our eaves. I've been seeing them emerge every year and Was delighted at the thought that they manage to get by on their own resources.

However a member of our local society told me that with the current varroa problem, it is probable that a feral colony can only survive for about 2 years before dying out. He thinks our roof space just gets rehoused by a new swarm each time the old residents die. Pity. I had enjoyed the thought of having the same resident bees with us over many years.

 

[ellypatt]

The feral/wild/free/natural/anarchist bees near us had died out by September this year. They did produce an impressively large swarm earlier in the summer and at least one cast, so perhaps they ended up queenless. Or perhaps somebody killed them off, as they were at waist-height on a well-used footpath (though no obvious signs of foul play and had been there since at least the year before).

 

[Bee Bumble]

Personally I think to call them feral is not right

Runaway slaves?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

a member of our local society told me that with the current varroa problem, it is probable that a feral colony can only survive for about 2 years before dying out. He thinks our roof space just gets rehoused by a new swarm each time the old residents die.

Possible not probable - in the chapel colony case, annual evidence of their winter survival was checked long before managed bees in the area had started their spring build up let alone swarm preparations - Pne of Peters apiaries is less than 2,000 yards away, mine are about a mile away so that, I believe is a fair indication of the chances of swarms in the area. It's a real pity these bees died out as we were hoping this year to entice a swarm into one of my strategically placed bait hives and (hush my mouth!!!) i may have tried to leave them treatment free to see what developed.

 

[For want of a better word]

Most certainly there are feral honeybee colony sites.
Bees colonising the sites are from the local population, that would in the majority of the UK from managed ( or mismanaged!) colonies.

Now what do you call a swarm that moves into an empty or bait hive?

Would honeybees left totally to their own devices develop a resistance to varroa and the virus they transmit to the bee?

I think they would if they could survive long enough AND there was no introgression from contact with imported bees.
( and by imported I mean bees introduced from outside of the "isolated" community)

BUT (sigh) this will probably not happen !

 

[Dishmop]

Now what do you call a swarm that moves into an empty or bait hive?

Cheapbees?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Most certainly there are feral honeybee colony sites.
Bees colonising the sites are from the local population, that would in the majority of the UK from managed ( or mismanaged!) colonies.

Now what do you call a swarm that moves into an empty or bait hive?

Would honeybees left totally to their own devices develop a resistance to varroa and the virus they transmit to the bee?

I think they would if they could survive long enough AND there was no introgression from contact with imported bees.
( and by imported I mean bees introduced from outside of the "isolated" community)

BUT (sigh) this will probably not happen !

it is always said no AMM is found in London but there is a colony of Honeybees in a small wood near my house in North London that are black and hairy with a negative Discoidal shift, i have had bait hives out but no luck

I have trapped a few individuals to measure wingsand def negative, The nearest beekeeper has a very dark bee but it is only just negative shift

I also know of a "large and hairy" black bee with a larger negative shift in a stable chimney near South Mimms, M25 jnct 23, The estate owner said they have survived for many years and produces two swarms a year on OSR.This spring most of its daughter colonies had died over winter ( i had hope to cut one out from the eves of a barn)

But the chimney colony had survived but did not swarm this year However a new beekeeper in the area has rather yellow bees whereas other local beekeepers bees are at least black

If i catch a swarm from either colonies I was wondering if they could be nutured together but that would mean moving one 10 miles (North London one) , /now is that to far to be "local"

it is even in london with it horrendous mix of sub species of bees ,quite noticiable that the first bees and last bees feeding or collecting pollen are always the blacker mongrels while the yellow italians stay at home

 

[For want of a better word]

Very interesting MM
Could there be any other "local " colonies showing Amm characteristics, but are also living "wild"?

Amm bees we have do seem to forage in not so mediterranean conditions, and also it is said Amm queens leave the colony to mate when " other bee sub's drones" are not about