Hive abandoned for 5 years

[DanBee]

In terms of dealing with Varroa we can interfere on our managed colonies but I always thought that nature's way was to swarm and start a new colony...a little form of DR in nature.

I also firmly believe that there are colonies local to me that are continuously occupying sites.

all the best,
Sam

Isn't there a contradiction here that the encouragement - perhaps reliance - on swarming for health and vigour leads to "continuous" occupation of sites appealing to feral colonies?

 

[Chris Luck]

How do you define "continuous" given that in a natural situation with swarming, or indeed with re queening, a colony is not actually the original colony, not after a few weeks anyway.

All that feral means to me is the lowest level of human management, that is zero, rather like my KTB's. They are all still bees.

Chris

 

[victor meldrew]

I would define as in continuous use as in workers of over lapping generations , functioning as a colony ! Not the demise of one colony and the site subsequently taken over by an incoming swarm ?
VM

 

[BeeJayBee]

How do you define "continuous" given that in a natural situation with swarming, or indeed with re queening, a colony is not actually the original colony, not after a few weeks anyway.

Yes, more than one person has said 'continuous' without really explaining what they mean, and how it's different from a colony kept in a hive.

With a managed colony/hive that first, one, single colony per hive could only ever be 'that' colony for the first season, or maybe for only a few weeks. After that the queen may be superceded, it might swarm, the queen could be replaced or ...? There are a lot of things beekeepers do to their colonies, but they still give tend to give them the same colony reference, which suggests continuity.

There have been bees next to us continuously for at least 10 years. It won't be the same queen, it won't be the same bees. Nobody can tell what's been going on because they have never been opened up and checked, and the queen has never been labelled.

Edit:
VM - we posted at the same time, ish.

 

[Chris Luck]

I would define as in continuous use as in workers of over lapping generations , functioning as a colony ! Not the demise of one colony and the site subsequently taken over by an incoming swarm ?

That's concise enough for me.

Chris