An Examination of a Feral Honeybee Colony for Parasites: 2
All photos copyright 2001, David L. Green Unauthorized use prohibited
October 14, 2001, Stuckey, SC
Pollen Pellets on Fanning Bees
The colony is large and very active, carrying plentiful pollen on this date. There is abundant bloom in the area, of goldenrod, aster, climbing hempweed, horsemint, South American vervain, tickseed, begger tick and other unidentified flowers.
I chose the attempt to save this colony because of the possibility that it may exhibit some resistance to varroa mites, a deadly parasite that was introduced about 15 years ago to this country. If such resistance if found in a feral colony, the next and even more important question is whether the mechanism of resistance can be passed on to their offspring.