Wild bee's on Arran ?

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Arron?

Never heard of that place, but bees on Arran may be varroa free still. In which case nothing to worry about.

What would be far more interesting would be wild bees amongst varroa infestation.

PH
 
PH is corrent, need to find varroa free on main land/ known varroa loactions

I recieved this email from a Leeds Uni Phd Student.

Dear all,

I was wondering if you or any other member of the Yorkshire Bee Keepers Association know of any feral bee colonies that are persisting in the area. I'm doing a PhD with Leeds University examining the health of feral bees. Theory dictates that feral colonies shouldn't really exist without beekeeper intervention or if they are found they are likely to be swarms from the current year. Anecdotally however this doesn't seem to be the case!

If anyone knows of feral colonies that seem to been occupying an area for a couple of years I would be interested in learning more about them. We are hoping to analyse the bees genetically and use a new technique RT-PCR (real time PCR) to quantify the level of disease in the bees. Previous we have only been able to assess presence or absence of disease. This would entail collecting about 40 bees from the colony so should have no detrimental impact.

Many thanks,
 
I think that someone has trouble with his vowels. That Merk person.

What are the chances of Arran remaining Varroa free for long, if it is now?

There are wild bees in Varroa areas PH. I've seen some of them, and even have a swarm off one in my apiary. Yes, they are Varroa resistant.

http://www.scottishferals.org.uk/

At the moment I'm not sure yet whether they are all EFB-free though.

G.
 
Sent some hives to couple of different beekeepers on Arran last year, when i spoke with them they did not say that they did or did not have varroa,but wanted the hives with the full varroa floors anyway.
 
I will believe that they are Varroa resistant after five years Gavin.

When I went to Germany on the Varroa course that was the time they gave as a suitable assessment, as if they were still alive in year four the chances were they would make 5.

PH
 
OK OK I have changed it from Arron to Arran,I wonder how many sassanack's spell it that way ?

Its my lazy Ampshire tongue,I pronounce it Arron.:(
 
The wild colonies have been coping for many years now. There are bees in an apiary now in year 4 of cold turkey.

Merk - you corrected Arron but you have still left Verroa!

G.
 
I give up today :banghead::laughing-smiley-004

I need to go get a spell checker for the forum..

We have one or two members who cannot spell,no names mentioned :blush5:
 
Fit div ye mean I canna spell, I can so spell the Doric jist fine weel.

PH
 
Spell checker not a bad idea. It's not the first time I have dropped a dubious spelling of mine into a word processor just for to spell check it. Usually because the family dictionary is being used by the crossword monster or just too far away for me to reach.
 
Spell checkers are essential for 'typists' like me. To paraphrase the late Eric Morecambe, I hit all the right keys - just necessarily in the right order.. My partner's always on about my spelling and thats why so many of my posts are edited. So a spell checker pleeeeaaase.

:cheers2:
 

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