From: "T & M Weatherhead" <queenbee@gil.com.au>
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2001 18:54:42 +1000
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: egyptian stock

Erik wrote

> No, I understand you. Have you though tried some of these ferals
> tranferred
> into regular hives and given the same management as your other
> bees? This
> is really interesting.

I have transferred some in boxes but normally requeen them within a month of hiving them. I only remove ferals for friends usually where they have
dropped a tree for cutting into fence posts or where a tree blows down in a
storm. They are usually being stung and I remove them as a favour.

I have caught ferals that have swarmed and a couple I forgot to requeen.
They did not perform very well and swarmed within a couple of months. This
is not surprising as I believe it is in their genes to swarm as they are
mainly related to the old Apis mellifera mellifera which was the first honey
bees introduced into Australia.

Whilst others in the world may be able to breed successfully from ferals,
here it is not the case.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA