‘Leather Tip Feral Queens’
The feral queens are open mated, derived from northern hardy mite resistant feral stock, originating in the
remote farmlands and woodlands of South Western Pennsylvania. The ferals in remote areas posses natural resistance mechanisms
to varroa and disease developed over many years of intense natural selection. We select our breeder colonies based on Ecological
Beekeeping selective practices which attempts to balance traits of survival with traits of economic value, to produce a bee
that both beekeeper and bee can live with. The feral queens, workers and drones generally resemble the darker wild type Italians,
with queen markings that generally appear darker towards the tip of the abdomen, and are affectionately referred to by us
as ‘leather tip queens’. We are actively selecting for traits of economic value as well as traits of survival.
Some of those traits include grooming abilities, largeness of brood pattern, wintering abilities, spring buildup, early combuilding
and honey production. With special attention selecting for wing power, honey production, allogrooming behavior, hygienic behavior
and brood viability.
‘Ferals Making the Grade’
Ferals are not created equal. All feral genetics are subjected to several waves of intense selection processes
before being considered for potential as a breeding stock. To example just how intense the selection process is, the first
selection wave of new feral genetics may result in an average of 40 to 50% of these colonies being culled during the initial
assessment period which lasts approximately 18 weeks, and serves to eliminate undesirable genetics from the breeding sphere
before the spring breeding season begins in the following year. Here we are mainly assessing for fecundity and survival traits
eg: hygienic behavior, brood viability and other characteristics affecting overall health and performance of the colony, choosing
only the out performers from the group and culling the rest. During the second selection wave which spans over the following
season, we now move on to assess overall performance with special emphasis on balancing productivity with survival attributes.
‘Fecundity in the Broodnest’
The ferals have a disposition to brood rearing which provides a large population necessary for nectar collection
and continues brood rearing even during nectar slowdowns, resulting in increased stored food consumption during the summer
nectar lul. But the enhanced wing power exhibited in these ferals helps to fuel this brood rearing throughout the summer months
providing the nectar required for the high population necessary for obtaining a fall surplus in northern climates.
‘Traits of Particular Interest’
When a trait of particular interest becomes apparent during the initial assessment wave, we can check records to see where
the feral was obtained and target the area with swarm traps in order to obtain more genetics from that area for assessment.
At this time, we are actively targeting remote woodland ferals in specific areas for the enhanced traits affecting productivity
and survival found within remote populations of ferals. Some of these traits include highly developed characteristics
contributing to foraging distance capabilities, or as Brother Adam refers to as ’wing power’. Woodland ferals,
will by necessity need to fly longer distances to obtain needed nectar and pollen after the tree bloom ceases in late June
and this would be reflected in the natural selection process. We are also highly interested in the natural resistance mechanisms
that has become apparent when assessing these ferals. And the outstanding brood viability that is prevalent in the remote
woodland ferals, suggesting a higher polyandry in populations of woodland feral honeybee colonies.
Observations made while performing our assessments of the woodland ferals are similar to studies
by Seeley & Tarpy 2006. The study found that a wider genetic variation in those colonies which had been fathered by multiple drones
were significantly stronger, healthier and experienced less intense outbreaks of disease, thus suggesting that multiple mating
increases a colony's resistance to parasites and over all health of the colony. "This is convincing evidence that multiple
mated hives seem to suffer less disease. ," (Ratnieks 2006) 
