What Makes Our Queens Unique…

In summer of 2022 we had a surprise visit From Chef Melissa King & the National Geographic/Mazda crew filming their : “Tasting Wild” series near our apiary … Olympic Wilderness Apiary has a cameo appearance in the beginning of their “Coastline” segment.  And while it highlights our special Fireweed Honey, we think the entire segment also gives a beautiful visual representation of just how isolated our Wilderness Apiary is.
This unique location is an important factor in the success of our Wild-Survivor -Breeding Program over the past two and a half decades.
And while the term “Survivor Bees” is frequently used in honeybee sales advertising, we believe the Sustainability of the Breeding Stock we develop and refine in this environment gives us the right to claim “Original Survivor” status…
a picture is worth a thousand words.
Tidepooling along the Pacific Coast | National Geographic

2024 revised Queen Introduction Checklist

OWA Checklist for Re queening an Existing Colony

OUR QUEENS HAVE DIFFERENT PHEROMONES, REQUIRING SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS – BEFORE YOUR QUEENS ARRIVE, WE RECOMMEND:

  • Locating your colonies, at least 50 yards from frequent human & livestock traffic.
  • If available, provide the new queen w drawn comb.
  • Set up your supplemental feeding system prior to installing queens to minimize disturbance;
  • Use proper safety equipment whenever working your colonies:  At a minimum, use head net. It may also be necessary to use a bee suit, gloves, & smoke.
  • Plan whenever possible to work your bees on sunny days when the field bees are out foraging.
  • Provide a constant food source of protein patties and 1:1 sugar syrup to stimulate queens to continue to lay until they naturally shut down for the season.
  • IMPORTANT: DO NOT remove/kill your existing queens until you have your new ones in hand.

A SPECIAL NOTE IF RE QUEENING IN THE FALL – OR DURING A DEARTH IN NECTAR FLOW: AVOID using feed stimulants containing additives like lemongrass, which can contribute to robbing.

WHEN YOUR QUEENS ARRIVE:

  • Keep the Q cages out of the sun, at room temperature, and give one drop of water, taking care NOT to wet the candy. If unable to install promptly …continue to give one drop of water daily.
  • 6-24 HOURS PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION –
  • REMOVE OLD QUEEN and throw the dead queen away from the hive.
  • Check for and remove any VIRGIN QUEENS, and ALL QUEEN CELLS.

AFTER WAITING THE (6-24) HOURS …FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO INTRODUCE THE NEW QUEEN:

  • DO NOT REMOVE THE SCREEN OR POKE A HOLE IN THE TAPE ON WOODEN CAGES.
  • DO NOT REMOVE ATTENDANT BEES FROM CAGES
  • Wedge the queen cage, snugly between 2 frames in the center of the brood nest, candy plug UP, taking care to leave the screen accessible to the bees. NOTE: in a 10-frame box it may be necessary to remove an outside frame then widen the gap between 2 center frames to be able to insert the wooden Koehnan cage below the top bars.

IMPORTANT: RETURN ON THE 4th DAY…

  • By now the bees should NOT be balling the cage: (…acting aggressively; biting the screen etc.) if they are, you may have missed a queen cell, or have a 2nd queen. Carefully reinspect the colony:
  • Remove and carefully set the queen cage aside.
  • Remove one or two outer food frames & set aside.
  • Vigorously shake bees off each BROOD frame back into the box, re-inspecting EACH FRAME CAREFULLY.
  • ELIMINATE ALL QUEEN CELLS
  • Reassemble hive;
  • REMOVE TAPE and reinstall cage between the same 2 BROOD frames. Now allow the bees to quietly release the queen on their own over the next day or two.

DO NOT DISTURB THE COLONY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 7 DAYS – EARLY DISTURBANCE CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF NON-ACCEPTANCE OR SUPERCEDURE!!!

 

 

OWA Breeding program successfully survives extreme DWV exposure

Because we have been breeding mite and disease tolerant stock for over 22 years, our threshold for unmedicated mite-tolerant genetics is very strict. Late summer is a time we are especially careful to evaluate every hive, with particular attention to potential breeder colonies.

In the fall of 2017 we began to see the presence of some Deformed Wing Virus (DVW) in the apiary. We scrutinized, culled, and prepared our stock to overwinter in much the way we always do, but by early February it became obvious that something was seriously different.

As the populations rapidly dwindled we pulled and incubated queens from the collapsing colonies; then made an emergency March-madness run to California to purchase queenless packages to act as warm-bodies to save the queens.

Although we lost 70% of our colonies over the winter of 2017-2018, by rescuing all the unmedicated queens that had been heavily exposed to DWV, we chose to see this as a new opportunity in our breeding program.

So in June of 2018 when Randy Oliver’s 2016-2017 Overwinter Loss Survey results, from samples submitted in 2016, confirmed that our losses were caused by high infestations of the most lethal strain of DWV-type ”A”, we were not surprised.

We had been here before:

In 2008 we successfully recovered from 90% colony losses due to devastating exposure to n. ceranae. Subsequent lab reports verify that more than a decade later, our hardy survivor stock continues to remain healthy and productive in spite of carrying large n. ceranae spore loads.

…and we believed our proven stock could do it again.

2018 July samples submitted to the USDA Lab as part of the APHIS National Honey Bee Survey, confirmed the continued presence of DWV, but now without obvious symptoms. The unmedicated survivor colonies continued to build-up and thrive … leading us to seek the answer to an important question: Is it possible that survivors of DWV could develop immunity?

In response to that query Jessica Kevill, [Post Graduate researcher for the University of Salford, Manchester England,] replied the following:

It’s hard for me to tell, as DWV is a tricky one. Colonies die once the viral loads exceed the host threshold, whilst colonies which are just below the threshold survive until loads then become unsustainable and they die. Often there are no visible disease symptoms and bees with high loads may not be visibly different to bees with low loads.

If you are interested in resistance, breed from your survivor stock and don’t move bees from outside of the area into your apiary. You will either breed a resistant trait in the bees OR maintain a viral infection that the bees can cope with, we’ve seen this in the UK.

Since we are in a unique situation that allows us to open-mate our queens in relative isolation, the indisputable fact is that our unmedicated recovery stock is not only managing DWV viral loads, but also appear to have succeeded in passing this adaptive trait to their offspring.

To be fair, there is a difference of opinion in the scientific bee community as to whether or not viral exposures can result in “heritable resistance traits” that can be replicated in offspring. We don’t have all the answers. We will leave that debate to the “experts”.

We can only draw conclusions based on lab data results and what we see in the apiary…. and what we see is “survivability”. Our 2019 overwintered survival rate was the best ever, allowing us to sell a record number of spring nucs!

Is this resistance?…tolerance…? Only time will really tell.

Ordering / Cancellation Policy

Ordering / Cancellation Policy


Change in ordering policy …

Because we have always enjoyed a good-faith relationship with our customers, we regret the need now to require a down payment from our customers to safeguard the welfare of our business.
Historically beekeepers have always understood that ordering queens is a contract between two parties.
But in recent years, we have seen a rise in last-minute cancellations and non-acceptance of delivery from customers who have placed orders with us months in advance.
Last minute cancellations result in damaging stress delays for our queens as we must reshuffle our waiting list  and can also cost us NEW business from customers who choose to seek queens elsewhere when they believe our wait times are too long for them.
Discussions with other producers reveal that because of this trend, most will no longer accept unsecured orders.
 We ask our customers to seriously consider all the factors involved in preordering queens before placing an order with us:
  • Assess your anticipated operating schedule: Our queens will rarely be available before the 1st of July due to our unstable northwest weather constraints.
  • If you plan to re-queen your spring packages, you should assume that you have varroa mite infestation and allow approximately 1 month prior to re-queening to treat for mites. Even the best of queens requires a healthy hive to support her for the 6 weeks she will need to entirely convert your existing genetics to her offspring.
  • Your queens will be shipped to you when available based on the date of your initial request, or time frame agreed upon (weather permitting).
  • You will be notified by phone and/or email of our intent to ship 5-7 days in advance of shipping.
  • Notify us immediately if unable to accept your order when notified of our intent to ship… You will then have the choice of dropping to the bottom of our waiting list, or forfeiture of your pre-payment.
Having said this, we are not unreasonable, understanding that unforeseen things can happen to any of us, and are willing to discuss options on a case by case basis.

2017 August Smoke in the Air affects OWA Queen availability

August 2017 – Since most in the rest of Washington State are living with hot dry weather this summer, it may be difficult to imagine the unprecedented conditions we are experiencing here in the microclimate of our apiary.

Persistent smoke from wild fires just across the Straights of Juan de Fuca in British Columbia has pushed a continuous cool/foggy marine layer directly over our isolated mating yards preventing adequate mating conditions here on the North Olympic Peninsula.

In 20 years we have never had to suspend orders due to lack of production, and we deeply regret having to do so now. We could not have predicted these unseasonably adverse weather conditions….check back here later in the season.

I think My Hive is Queenless

No eggs, no larvae does not necessarily mean you are queenless.  Here is a simple method to help you know for sure… Shake the bees off of a frame of uncapped brood (eggs and young larvae) from a queen-right colony, being careful not to transfer the queen from that hive. Mark that frame with a magic marker.  Remove a frame from the center of the brood chamber of the suspect colony and replace it with your marked frame.

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A Word About our Drones

 OWA maintains isolated mating yards in a very remote area of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Our drone colonies are selected for hygienic behavior, disease, and mite resistance. They are fed high quality pollen supplements, and are provided with additional drone combs to insure abundant populations.

Read more

Testimonials

What our customers have to say …

A Brief History

Swarm

Swarm

In 1997, when feral colonies were thought to be near extinction due to varroa mites, we began capturing wild honeybee swarms from very remote locations in the sparsely inhabited wilderness of the North Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.

Reliable oral history of the area confirmed that these isolated bees had managed to survive since the late 1890’s without human intervention.  Believing they may have developed some natural resistance to varroa destructor, we began our Survivor Bee Breeding Program by:
  • continuing to capture wild swarms
  • including USDA Primorsky Russian;  SMR/VSH; and Caucasian breeder queens since 2000
  • utilizing instrumental insemination procedures
  • diligently protecting our isolated mating yards
  • routinely conducting laboratory testing
  • improving nutrition by supplying quality protein and herbal food supplements.
  • applying a rigorous sterilization routine
  • and remaining firmly committed to a chemical-free accelerated natural selection process
The early years of our success against varroa, met a devastating blow in the winter of 2007/2008 when a series of environmental stressors converged with the arrival of nosema ceranae in our apiary. Withholding chemicals to pursue accelerated natural selection in conditions of extreme exposure to this new fungus, with its possible associated viruses, was a high risk choice for us to make.
But armed with the knowledge that our bees had been thriving in Northwest Washington’s fungus-rich environment within the world’s largest temperate rainforest, we decided to gamble on the prospect that our bees could develop a tolerance to this new microsporidian as well.
Four disheartening years of 90% losses, followed that decision.
But, in January of 2012, when we came across a newly published report out of Denmark, which concluded:
…After decades of selective breeding for Nosema tolerance in the Danish strain, it appears these bees are tolerant to N. ceranae infections.
…our hopes were renewed.
So when spring arrived in 2012, and only 10% of our colonies had failed, we have been newly encouraged that achieving our goal of nosema tolerance is possible.
Those long years of heavy winter losses have resulted in hardy unmedicated bees that are now maintaining healthy populations in spite of USDA Beltsville Bee Laboratory results confirming the presence of staggering n. ceranae spore loads…over 50 million spores per bee!
Since recovering from those losses we have begun to identify another significant trait in our surviving colonies: they have naturally adapted themselves to become extreme pollen hoarders.  Because the importance of good nutrition cannot be overstated in the maintenance of healthy colonies, we see this adaptation as integral to the successful survivability of our stock.
By carefully selecting our breeder queens from this core group of survivors, we are confident that the regionally unique feral hybrid queen lines we offer demonstrate genetics capable of withstanding many of the lethal pathogens that threaten honeybees everywhere.

Nosema Tolerance

Today’s microsporidian:  nosema is frequently misunderstood, even by experienced beekeepers. The confusion appears to stem from failure to recognize the difference between the 2 types of nosema, and the fact that they manifest themselves within the hive in entirely different ways.

Read more

Weather Permitting…

Unlike the favorable conditions found in southern latitudes, Pacific Northwest weather has its own set of unique queen-breeding restrictions: Cool, wet, coastal airflow causes unstable maritime conditions that persist well into late spring. The result is both good news and bad news…

The Bad news is: the challenge of producing predictably well-mated queens early in the season prevents us from offering spring queens.
The Good news is: by waiting for the weather to stabilize, and holding our queens until they are on capped brood prior to shipping, you can be confident of the highest possible success when introducing our chemical free, disease and pathogen resistant stock.
Because of its restricted availability, incorporating OWA stock requires a paradigm shift from the standard beekeeping model of acquiring spring packages, to a managerial plan that includes summer splits and fall re-queening.

WE OFFER BREEDER QUEENS…

GRAFTED FROM STOCK THAT MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS:
       Hygienic Behavior: Minimum of 95% removal of freeze-killed brood in 24 hours
This trait will reduce or eliminate Chalkbrood; AFB; and varroa mite levels w/o the use of chemical treatments
Varroa Mite Resistance as:
VSH trait is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during spring brood build-up and fall peak mite infestation.
Grooming Behavior is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during the winter broodless period
Nosema Tolerance:  Demonstrate vigor with high exposure: UNTREATED.
Our selection process is verified by in-house microscopic testing and USDA Laboratory reports.
Gentleness:
Swarming Behavior:
Not prone to swarm
Heavy pollen collectors
Excellent Honey producers;
Longevity:
Untreated  survivability

 

 

OWA BREEDER QUEEN SELECTION CRITERIA:
We graft from untreated colonies whose queens have been overwintered for a minimum of one season, and have passed our strict standards for these following traits:
Hygienic Behavior: Minimum of 95% removal of freeze-killed brood in 24 hours
This trait will reduce or eliminate Chalkbrood; AFB; and varroa mite levels w/o the use of chemical treatments
Varroa Mite Resistance:
VSH trait is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during spring brood build-up and fall peak mite infestation.
Grooming Behavior is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during the winter broodless period
Demonstrate vigor with high exposure: UNTREATED.
Our selection process is verified by in-house microscopic testing and USDA Laboratory reports.
Excellent Honey producers;
Heavy pollen collectors
Swarming Behavior:
Not prone to swarm
Longevity 

VSH Definition

Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) is a behavioral trait of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in which bees detect and remove bee pupae that are infested by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. V. destructor is considered to be the most dangerous pest problem for honey bees worldwide. VSH activity results in significant resistance to the mites.

Development
Bees with the trait were initially bred by the USDA Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory in Baton Rouge, LA from colonies in which mite populations grew only slowly.[1]
The factor causing slow mite population growth was found to be heritable.[2] The rate of mite population growth was found to be correlated with the reproductive rates of mites,[1] resulting in naming the factor “suppressed mite reproduction” (SMR).[3] It was subsequently discovered that the factor is founded on hygienic activity of adult bees,[4][5] so SMR was renamed VSH.[6]
VSH activity results in (1) an abnormally low proportion of mites that produce offspring within the population that remains in capped brood and (2) reduction of the brood infestation rate by greater than 70%. The specifics of how hygienic bees detect mite infested brood currently are unknown.
Cross-breeding
Bees bred to have high levels of VSH tend to keep mite populations below thresholds recommended for treatment with pesticides.[7] Queens from such VSH breeding sources can be allowed to mate freely with non-VSH drones, and the resulting hybrid colonies from these outcrosses will retain lower and variable but generally still useful resistance to V. destructor while retaining desirable beekeeping traits such as honey production.[8]
VSH outcrossed to commercial Italian bees recently have been shown to perform well in migratory crop pollination.
VSH thus is a trait that can be used by breeders to mix with any type of desirable honey bee and is expanding resistance to V. destructor among diverse bee strains. VSH breeding material has been available through commercial sources since 2001.
References
  1. Harbo, J., and R. Hoopingarner. 1997. Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the United States that express resistance to Varroa jacobsoni (Mesostigmata: Varroidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 90: 893-898.
  2. Harbo, J., and J. Harris. 1999. Heritability in honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of characteristics associated with resistance to Varroa jacobsoni (Mesostigmata: Varroidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 92: 261-265.
  3. Harbo, J., and J. Harris. 2002. Suppressing Mite Reproduction: SMR an Update. Bee Culture 130: 46-48.
  4. Harbo, J., and J. Harris. 2005. Suppressed mite reproduction explained by the behavior of adult bees. Journal of Apicultural Research 44: 21-23.
  5. Ibrahim, A. G. Reuter and M. Spivak. 2006. Field trials of honey bee colonies bred for mechanisms of resistance against Varroa destructor. Apidologie 38: 67-76.
  6. Harris, J. 2007. 2007. Bees with Varroa Sensitive Hygiene preferentially remove mite infested pupae aged < five days post capping. Journal of Apicultural Research 46: 134-139.
  7. Ward, K., R. Danka and R. Ward. 2008. Comparative performance of two mite-resistant stocks of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Alabama Beekeeping Operations. Journal of Economic Entomology 101: 654-659.
  8. Harbo, J., and J. Harris. 2001. Resistance to Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) when mite-resistant queen honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were free-mated with unselected drones. Journal of Economic Entomology 94: 1319-1323.

Survivor Bees Of The Olympic Peninsula

Stock Selection Criteria

We graft from untreated colonies whose queens have been overwintered for a minimum of one season, and have passed our strict standards for these following traits:
 
Hygienic Behavior

Minimum of 95% removal of freeze-killed brood in 24 hours

This trait will reduce or eliminate Chalkbrood; AFB; and varroa mite levels w/o the use of chemical treatments

Varroa Mite Resistance

VSH trait is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during spring brood build-up and fall peak mite infestation.

Grooming Behavior is determined by Alcohol Wash Assay during the winter broodless period

Nosema Tolerance

Demonstrate vigor with high exposure: UNTREATED.

Our selection process is verified by in-house microscopic testing and USDA Laboratory reports.

Hoarding Behavior

Excellent Honey producers

Heavy pollen collectors

Gentleness

No need for gloves

Swarming Behavior

Not prone to swarm

High Degree of Longevity & Solid Brood Patterns

Russian Bee Linked To N. Ceranae Tolerance

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=268796

Research Project: Breeding, Genetics, Stock Improvement and Management of Russian Honey Bees for Mite and Small Hive Beetle Control and Pollination
Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research
Title: Patriline variation of Nosema ceranae levels in Russian and Italian honey bees
Authors
BOURGEOIS, LANIE

RINDERER, THOMAS

Sylvester, H
HOLLOWAY, BETH

Submitted to: Cold Spring Harbor Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: April 8, 2011
Publication Date: May 8, 2011
Citation: Bourgeois, A.L., Rinderer, T.E., Sylvester, H.A., Holloway, B.A. 2011. Patriline variation of Nosema ceranae levels in Russian and Italian honey bees. Cold Spring Harbor Meeting. 17.
Technical Abstract: The microsporidian Nosema ceranae has invaded managed honey bee colonies throughout the world. While the presence of N. ceranae is common, infection levels are highly variable, even among bees within a single colony. The underlying mechanisms driving this variation are not well-understood. The high degree of individual variation within a colony suggests some degree of genetic resistance to N. ceranae infections may exist among managed honey bee colonies. One likely source for this variation stems from the polygamous nature of honey bee queens, producing multiple patrilines within each colony. We investigated the relationship between infection levels of N. ceranae and patriline membership by sampling individual bees from colonies from both Russian and Italian stocks. A total of 720 bees were collected from 5 Russian and 5 Italian colonies. Individual bees were tested for N. ceranae infection levels using qPCR, and were genotyped to determine patriline membership. Levels of N. ceranae varied significantly at the stock level (Russian: 3.68 x 106 ± 1.88 x 106 nosema/bee and Italian: 9.14 x 106 ± 4.62 x 106 nosema/bee; P = 0.008) and at the colony level for both Russian (P = 0.002) and Italian (P = 0.003) bees. Patriline-based variance was evident among only the Russian bees (P = 0.024). There was substantial variation in N. ceranae levels among Italian bees, ranging from 0 to 2.12 x 109 nosema/bee, however this variation was not associated with patriline membership (P = 0.742). The variance in N. ceranae infection among Russian honey bee patrilines demonstrates a genetic basis for resistance to N. ceranae infection which conforms to predictions of models that relate patriline variance and abundance to disease resistance in honey bees. This difference between Russian and Italian honey bees may derive from Italian honey bees having only a short history of exposure to N. ceranae while Russian honey bees may have had 150 years of exposure.
Last Modified: 02/05/2012

Pollen Hoarding – Well Fed Honey Bees Fight off Harmful Effects of Parasite

Bee researcher Ramesh Sagili inspects a European honey bee in a carrot seed field near Madras, Ore. Photo by Lynn Ketchum
 CORVALLIS, Ore. –Well-nourished honey bees are better at fighting off a serious microscopic parasite that weakens their immune systems and threatens the health of their colonies, according to a new study from Oregon State University.

The finding, published recently in the Journal of Insect Physiology, suggests that giving honey bees access to a greater quantity and variety of pollen—their only source of protein—could make them more resilient against parasites and other pests, and help to stem worrisome declines in bee populations.

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Peninsula Daily News: 3 Generations Of Beekeepers

PENINSULA DAILY NEWS     

July 7, 2010
Three generations of beekeepers
Brandon Harvey, right, hands off a frame of bees and honey to his grandfather, Dan, while pulling honey off one hive on state Highway 112 on
Saturday.
Brandon’s father, Shane, is in the background.
Dan Harvey estimated they pulled off about 120 pounds of honey during this one trip.
The Harveys are shown working bees bare-handed but they are properly
equipped and experienced beekeepers.
photo credit: Donna Barr for the Peninsula Daily News

OWA Russian Honeybee History

History of OWA Russian Honeybees

The Olympic Wilderness Apiary has been evaluating and including USDA Primorsky Russian honey bee genetics into our breeder selection program since they first became available in 2000.   We began by incorporating early releases from Bernard Apiaries, and have progressively included the best available stock from Charlie Harper; Glenn Apiaries; Bob Brachmann; Carl Webb; Steve Coy and Austin Smith.
Russian honeybees are known for their tracheal and varroa mite resistance. Our hardy Russian hybrids also have a history of exposure and adaptation to nosema ceranae. They  maintain conservative winter clusters and require early and aggressive swarm-control management during their characteristic explosive spring-buildup when nectar and pollen become available.
More about the characteristic mechanisms of Russian honeybee resistance can be viewed here>

Next Up , The Survivors Part Two Of Two

NEXT UP, THE SURVIVORS

Part two of two parts.  by M.E.A. McNeil

(Excerpted from American Bee Journal ~ April 2009 pp 355 – 356)
In 1997, Dan and Judy Harvey heard that most feral bees were wiped out by varroa
mites, and they went looking for survivors. Their Olympic Wilderness Apiary10 is located
in the temperate rain forest of the Northwestern Olympic Peninsula in WashingtonState.
They put out the word to loggers, and soon were collecting swarms. “We just assumed
they had some resistance,” he said. “We didn’t know what we were doing.” It was a steep
learning curve for them, finding out how to evaluate the bees and rear queens. They
came up with a combination of tests, which they still find effective: Erikson’s screen
wash test 11for mites, liquid nitrogen 12 for hygienic behavior and professional lab tests
 for disease. They found a lot of variability and bred from the healthiest bees. In 2000
they began adding USDA genetics, first Russian and later VHS/SMR bees, as well as
semen for tracheal mite resistance from Baton Rouge. The initial aggressiveness of the
 Russian stock was bred down. With no chemicals in the production colonies and an
overall IPM philosophy (antibiotic and organic mite control in mating nucs), handmade
chemical-free cappings wax foundation, and good grooming behavior in the bees
(evidenced by microscope observed bite marks on dead mites), Harvey said the program
worked out well. But in the spring of 2008, a freak weather pattern collided with the arrival
of the microsporidians Nosema ceranae, resulting in the loss of 90% of the carefully bred
colonies. Cold, wet weather persisted for a year, from one summer to the next, causing
pollen shortages and leaving nutritionally distressed bees going into winter and susceptible
to infection. Tests found very high levels of N.ceranae in his apiaries, but none in some feral
populations in the area. Harvey speculated that because microsporidians are common in
 he naturally damp Northwest environment, the feral bees may defend themselves well from
them – after all, he observes, they deal with bears.  J
He remarked that the fungus chalkbrood can be inhibited by probiotic yeasts and molds,
as well as by hygienic behavior. Down but not out, Harvey is breeding the nosema-free feral
 bees with the survivors of the environmental pressures of last year. He thinks that the
advantages must go both ways; the genetics help the surrounding feral bees as well.
Working with bees in trees has led Harvey to conclude that standard hive systems hold
too much moisture. He leaves a 3/8” opening across the back and front of his hive tops.
Observing how high in the tree cavity the nest is naturally built, far from potentially
infectious hive debris, he is experimenting with an added empty 6 5/8sterilized box on the
bottom board. In the spirit of natural selection surfers, the Harvey’s have stayed afloat through
the latest crisis, “greatly encouraged to find ourselves once again in a unique situation.”
Footnotes
10 http://www.wildernessbees.com
11 Erickson, Eric, American Bee Journal,
August 2000
12 http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/
index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=290
(Excerpted from American Bee Journal ~ April 2009 pp 355 – 356)