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To: SWAMPSNIPER

Wild honey bees have died off many years ago from mites. All honey bees now require medication during periods when honey is not being made, thus those in the wild die off very shortly after swarming from managed colonies. There are other bees that pollinate as well as flys and other insects. They usually are not enough to handle the monoculture fields that come into bloom at one time.


44 posted on 05/12/2007 11:19:41 AM PDT by muskah
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To: muskah

Not always true. There is a wild hive across the street from me that has thrived probably for 20 years maybe more as the bees are a smaller Eastern European type that is no longer favored among bee keepers. Like all animals some few adapt to things like mites and other pests and thrive. I have been trying to get a swarm off that wild hive for two years now but I haven’t been lucky enough to catch them when swarming yet.


49 posted on 05/12/2007 11:25:26 AM PDT by sentis1 (lity)
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To: muskah

Still a few wild hives in the big swamp. If they’re smart, they’ll stay here. I am more likely to see carpenter bees or bumblebees on the yard flowers however. I checked out the closest commercial hives yesterday, looking good so far.


50 posted on 05/12/2007 11:28:11 AM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER (THE SECOND AMENDMENT, A MATTER OF FACT, NOT A MATTER OF OPINION)
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