Genetic Question

[JD]

I have two hives at this time and I want make some queens from them. How long before inbreeding becomes a problem? I'm not sure if any other hives are in my area. JD

[David LaFerney]

Disclaimer - I'm a totally new first year bee keeper, and I have no personal experience in this.  However I've seen this discussion (or some variation of it) before, and since some questions haven't been answered very quickly lately (I'm sure everyone is just busy with life) I'm going to give my 2 cents.

Probably inbreeding won't be a problem any time soon, because your virgin queens will roam far and wide on their mating flights - 5 miles or so - and probably will mate with drones from other hives instead of / in addition to your drones.  Also, there are probably other hives closer than you think.

[troutstalker2]

  I sometime think that we believe we can control things we don't have alot of control over. They are going to do what they have been doing for a million years. besides I have seen swarms around almost every spring, I would think there is enough genetic diversity out there. I have heard of drone congregation areas, and some people put more stock in it than others, but if it is true, than for sure you don't have to worry. Just my thoughts. The longer I keep bees, the less I worry.

David

[Cheryl]

I just learned that one of my neighbors has a couple of feral hives!

So... you just never know!!!

[Finski]

.
Breeders problems is that there are allways other unknown hives' drones flying around. They fly miles.

[Cheryl]

On a semi-related note (also somewhat unrelated), I think a dying colony with laying workers is intended by Nature. Think about it. If a queenless colony is most certainly going to die out (without man's intervention), it might as well make as many drones as it can, to spread its genes; a 'last hurrah' as it were. Same thing applies to a queen who's run out of sperm and begins laying drones, or a poorly mated queen who's laying only drones...

Even (or especially) late in the season: There's bound to be another hive somewhere who suddenly lost their queen or suddenly needs to supersede... The drone layers out there will provide the drones at odd times of the year. Granted, not every one of those drones is high-quality, but then, that's what mating flight 'races' are for... the few optimum specimens get the prize!

[Michael Bush]

The feral bees in your area often can raise a queen from a laying worker egg...

http://www.beesource.com/point-of-view/ed-dee-lusby/historical-data-on-the-influence-of-cell-size/thelytoky-in-a-strain-of-us-honey-bees-apis-mellifera-l/

[Cheryl]

Absolutely fascinating... 

[charlotte]

Wow that is a cool article.  Yay for mutt bees!!  Survival stock has all kinds of benefits   

[Cheryl]

I love my little mutts!!