Which type of bee?

[Teebeeaitch]

The original concern was that the bees were a 'touch' too swarmy. Is that really a problem? You have locally adapted bees that you have enjoyed for 4 years, you state no other real issues. I think you should just leave them exactly as they are and dont worry about losing a few swarms.

 

[thorn]

Someone with whom I was friendly through (another) shared hobby died just after I started beekeeping. I didn't know he was a beekeeper until I read his obituary, in which it mentioned "his beloved black bees".
What are dark bees like for swarming and aggression?
I wonder who's got Michael's bees now.

 

[Finman]

and dont worry about losing a few swarms.

if you loose a swarm, you loose the whole year's work.

i have swarmy bees and I have not found stock now which do not swarm.
But swarming is not problem when I clip queens' wing ad make at once false warms when I see qeen cells.


However you must sheck the hives every week to watch over, do they have queen cells. When false swarm is done, no need to sheck that case any more.

 

[Little John]

ideal strain? What is that? It really needs imagination.

wow! Our bees need 20C and perhaps 20% mates in 18C.


My bees do not even forage at 14C temperature.
.

Jeesus - why does something essential always seem to get lost in translation ?

For the benefit of those foreigners who have difficulty with English - I was 'wishful thinking' - not claiming I'd found such a strain ! Duhhhh

LJ

 

[Finman]

I have an Italian stock its just a handfull of bees at the moment... I sho.

sounds like nosemic.


It depends from where you get Italians. They are so many.

when dark bees lived here 25 years ago, Italin queen + black drones were bad combinations.
Hives were huge. They had hybrid vigour they had often 6 langstrot boxes. But they were angry to nurse.

ThenI got first time inseminaed Italian queens. The daugters were pleasant to nurse, huge hives and huge yields. No swarming.
It was those time when black bees died out by varroa.

Then I had a period 10-15 years when chalk brood made losses in my yeard. I succeeded to breed out chalk brood but I got swarmy genes instead.
It took 4-5 years to get rid of chalkbrood.


Yes, it is continuous fight to keep the quality level up. Luckily I have friends around me who have only good quality bees.

 

[Finman]

Jeesus - why does something essential always seem to get lost in translation ?

For the benefit of those foreigners who have difficulty with English - I was 'wishful thinking' - not claiming I'd found such a strain ! Duhhhh

LJ

i noticed that "joke" but joke was not good one.

And you almost made me to believe that you have found. duhhhh.


Like that 80 y oldchap, who found that one colony in his yard which is varroa resistant.
I am sure that it is Jesus Crist as a form of honey bee colony. Now the whole UK knows him.

 

[Tim.S]

Thank you everyone for your comments, really interesting and diverse views on this one! Maybe I should persevere some more with my local bees, I do sometimes have a bit of an emotional attachment to them, but last night after doing an AS on one hive I was a bit cheesed off with them. Bit like a marriage I suppose, just don't tell the wife.
I must admit I had never thought to go beyond 2 boxes of brood but I suppose as long as I have the kit laying around then why not if stops them swarming? Four years ago I had difficulties getting one brood box to fill up, never thinking that in 4 years time I would have trouble fitting them into 2 boxes!

 

[Shabro]

Sarcasm- the lowest form of wit, but it's the best

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2