Beekeeper, Matt Reed, surveying honeybee nest
In this video, beekeeper Matt Reed demonstrates how to collect a wild honeybee swarm. Reed does not treat his bees with any chemicals, but relies instead upon natural selection (those bees that survive without any treatments) to confer their genetic resistance to disease and parasite infection. By maintaining disease resistance in their genetic stock, Reed hopes to develop strains of bees that will remain hearty over time, and be entirely free of the need for chemical treatments, or medications to sustain their populations.
The key points that Reed emphasizes for maintaining his healthy bee hives:
- Honeybees are caught in the wild; their wider genetic diversity increases their odds for survival.
- Locally collected bees are well suited to their native environment, and have built up immunities to disease.
- By not using chemicals and medicinal treatments to protect a hive, over time, the hive becomes stronger, and better able to withstand disease outbreaks.
Read the Full Story here: http://cookingupastory.com/collecting-a-wild-honeybee-swarm
Published on June 1, 2011