What be this bee?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Dumela all from the Maluti mountains
Need people's opinion on what variety of bee I've taken charge of up here in the orphanage - they don't seem to be behaving like African bees, and with the leader of the foundation having just come out of hospital and not due in work until at least next week I can't get any sense out of anyone. This could have an impact over the future ofthe project, so could you please cast you eyes over these photos and give your honest opinions over what kind of bees you think I have I have my thoughts so seeking corroboration or correction - I'm not proud I role play in strip searches!!
As an active member of the labour party don't worry about the silly answers, I'm used to filtering them out, but there shouldn't be too many daft replies as I've heard that one of the main protagonists is in hibernation and the other is on safari in darkest Africa.

 

[itma]

I'm now thinking that Brother Adam would have recognised them as being of his style.

Significantly, you reported a total absence of the ferocity with which Apis Scutellata is famously associated.

 

[victor meldrew]

No idea , the workers display differing characteristics , the rearmost segment joint of the abdomen being grey in some and amber in others .
Not unlike my mongrels except their being much lighter overall !
VM


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[TryingToLetThemBee]

Why are they not African bees?

My understanding, base on Wikipedia, is that it is the hybridization with AML that causes the extreme aggression, and that AMS is more aggressive than AML, but not as aggressive as the "Africanized" ones in the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_bee

 

[itma]

Why are they not African bees?

My understanding, base on Wikipedia, is that it is the hybridization with AML that causes the extreme aggression, and that AMS is more aggressive than AML, but not as aggressive as the "Africanized" ones in the US. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_bee

No, you are missing the point that the Brazillian interbreeding (that produced "Africanized Killer Bees") was to try and TAME Scutellata!

From your Wiki link (about Scutellata)

They send out three to four times as many workers in response to a threat. They will also pursue an intruder for a greater distance from the hive. {compared to European bees}

This lot are not at all "defensive" and do not follow.
They are pussycats, emphatically not tigers!

 

[fiftyjon]

They're not wasps!

 

[Alibees]

Is there no wing vein records you could refer to, I understood that was the only way to truly determine a bees origin or type. Perhaps the facilities aren't available to you there. Interesting.

 

[Norton]

Nice photo of the hoverfly!

As for the others- Oh Dear! It does look like someone has been importing some queens.

 

[Summerslease]

No 3 looks like the hoverfly. The others look like my bees ( which I am sure don't have african origins).

 

[enrico]

Honeybee,honeybee,hover fly,honeybee! Don't see the problem!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nice photo of the hoverfly! ens.

Oops - so it is! must look carefully next time!

As for the others- Oh Dear! It does look like someone has been importing some queens.

Any of yours by any chance ? That's what I thought. not one sting or a threat of one although they were very skittish on the comb to the point of abandoning even the brood completely when I inspected. I even gave up looking for the queen in the end. Whatever they are this place doesn't seem to suit them. On the hunt for other local beekeepers now to see what they have got

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Just throwing this out from a proven position of blissful ignorance. But if you are sure they are not AMS, then are they not as likely to be AC as AML? They look like the pictures of Cerana on the web. Why they'd be either, I am not sure, but taking them not being AMS as a premise...

 

[itma]

Just throwing this out from a proven position of blissful ignorance. But if you are sure they are not AMS, then are they not as likely to be AC as AML? They look like the pictures of Cerana on the web. Why they'd be either, I am not sure, but taking them not being AMS as a premise...

"AC" ? ??
"Cerana" ?


Cerana is the ASIAN bee, think China, etc. We have its version of Nosema and its brood mite giving us problems. But I can't see why anyone would think of (or go to the trouble of) bringing bees from the far east. Its also a bit different - different brood timings and swarms easily (which allows it to coexist with its brood mite). But it doesn't produce much crop, which is why Russian beeks took Euro bees to Siberia for the summer once the railway was open. And that was how the brood mite jumped species ...
In South Africa they do have the "Cape Bee" (Apis Mellifera Capensis) which is fairly dark - much darker than these, and odd in its own way (workers laying female eggs). And its a bit of a threat to Scutellata - but it ain't supposed to be as far North as Mr Jenkins ...

However, it is entirely possible that someone has brought in some Apis Mellifera Carnica ... but I'm not sure this lot are slim enough or 'grey' enough.
However, famous for gentleness and good for long, coldish winters, I can understand why someone might think they might be a good idea for beekeeping beginners in the mountains ...

 

[REDWOOD]

JBM, looking closely and comparing them to the Scutellata they are defiantly Apis mellifera capensis.

 

[Swarm]

Look like Buckies to me.

 

[Goran]

How is the weather there, according to comb - very warm?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well i might get my new mate the Forestry minister (or maybe even the prince) to look at getting them scientifically identified!But emails first to the oiginal programme manager to see if she can shed any light on it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How is the weather there, according to comb - very warm?

Yes, very warm. we are at the end of the rainy season now although there's a bit around still.but next month should see things cooling down a bit.

JBM, looking closely and comparing them to the Scutellata they are defiantly Apis mellifera capensis.

But Capensis is a parasitic bee and they don't send out foragers so after two years out there you'd have expected the colony would have dwindled and died. Or if in the initial stages you'd still have a good smattering of Scutellata in there. Still loads of foragers flying (which Capensis don't) leaving only a small amount in the hive.

 

[itma]

...
But Capensis is a parasitic bee and they don't send out foragers ...

Not quite.

But they are way too far *North*.

Have a look at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/cape_honey_bee.htm

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not quite.

But they are way too far *North*.

Have a look at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/cape_honey_bee.htm

No -some Capensis have been moved north inadvertently by migratory beekeepers when capensis parisitise the migrant bees - because Capensis are very specialised foragers, when they are moved outside their natural area their bees don't forage effectively (maybe that's a better way of putting it), capensis population increases in the hive to the detriment of the host thus they usually dwindle and die. There's a few references on 'tinterweb