Genetics/Diversity/Inbreeding/Bee Health

[fizzle]

Hi All,

How do beekeepers ensure their bees stay healthy through diverse reproduction. It cant be good for an apiary to continually interbreed!

Do you move virgin queens to another apiary far enough away that they do not come in contact with drones from their mother colony?

Edit: what is a safe distance to move from mother colony?

 

[drdrday]

The apiarist's blog was quite relevant to this last week and is worth a read: Radar love - The Apiarist

Research (using radar to track drones and queens with tiny transponders attached) seemed to suggest that whilst drones congregate in DCAs closer to the hive, queens tend to fly further afield for their mating flights.

The evidence for this regarding the queens isn't as conclusive because the numbers weren't very good and because the queens flew out of range of the radar. However it does make sense to naturally reduce the chances of inbreeding and a queen mating with drones from more 'local' hives that are more likely to be from 'sibling' colonies.

 

[rook66]

Time to get out the mine detector!!

 

[fizzle]

They never cease to amaze. They have it all worked out and all we need to do is stand back and observe.