# Split Swaps



## RIbee (Apr 26, 2015)

I would like to hear about experiences folks have with swapping nuc splits with other beeks. In order to gain genetic diversity. More interested in hearing about what works. Less interested in cautionary tales or carmudgeonly griping.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

While swapping a split with another beek will give you genetic diversity among the colonies in your apiary, but you are not achieving genetic diversity among your bees. That's because even though we speak of rounds of brood, the genetics in every hive are controlled, and more-or-less permanently fixed, by the genetics of the queen and the drones which she mated with when she was a virgin. She does not, as far as I know, mate again in her lifetime, unlike other animals.

And her daughters, if you allow, or deliberately create, any, will go miles away from your apiary to mate with stranger drones in something the Drone Congregation Area.

Still, having nucs from other sources in your apiary would be useful and interesting as a learning tool. You'd always have the risks that any nuc, if it was strongly typical of one of the distinct races among bees (Carnis, Italians, Russians, etc.) might not live or play well your existing bees.

Me, I have garden-variety mutt bees from swarms to my farm, so they get along with _everybody_. And I live in an area with a still-viable population of unmanaged colonies (along with a few beeks with a few colonies), so genetic diversity - or race-based characteristics are just theoretical concerns for me.

I added a friend's hive to my yard this spring (I had been observing and caring for this colony since last fall so I knew it was healthy, allaying many of the concerns about bringing in problems.) It was likely headed by an open-mated queen, which was the daughter of the 2014 original package bees. My friend's hive swarmed, and her daughter was open-mated here on my farm, and is now laying like a champ. 

This year I made up 6 nucs from bees in my apiary to give to another friend. Two from one of my sturdy, long-lived queens and four with swarm cells from the swarmed hive. I will be interested to see how they do under someone else's management.

And management, I think, plays a bigger part in some of observed differences among bees than we give it credit for.

Enj.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I like to take things to extremes and imagine it. (Worst case scenario)
Suppose I traded nucs with a guy from Georgia or South Carolina to introduce genetic diversity to my apiary. 
If their bees open mated in the southeast..it might not be a very good idea because of AHB.
Bad idea.

If I traded with a guy from Indiana or Michigan...probably be good or wouldn't hurt anything.

My bees are pretty well concentrated into a 640 acre area roughly. There is no way I am going to introduce genetic diversity myself. The guys on the other side of town are where the drones come from that mate with my queens so I guess if I wanted something new...give them nucs from the target genes. Too complicated? Yup.
There are at least 5-10 beeks in the area. Maybe more I don't know yet.


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## my2cents (Jul 9, 2015)

I agree with the 2 above assessments. I have commercial beeks move in around mid spring, the leave around june, and return around September to winter. Out of those 1500 hives in a 2 mile area, I am sure that I have no way of controlling the mating habits of the bees. So, Mutt bees are what I have.
I liken it to the concept of a ***** coming in heat and wandering the neighbor hood. You have no way of controlling any breeding habits of the bees. I would go as far as to say, I believe most bees in the south have now cross bred with Africanized bees, as I have noticed over the years, bees have become more aggressive. Even though I have only began a real hobby with bees, I have been around hives all my life. I remember as a young boy, going into hives that were in the woods and getting honey without any protection and the bees were very docile.
I have read where commercial beeks like the more aggressive bees because they produce more honey.
My2Cewnts


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

If you have enough genetic diversity in your local DCA then you don't
need to do a nuc swap. The reason is your virgin queens will mate with
whatever is out there anyway. And if you are in a secluded area then consider
bringing in the good genetics from a reputable queen breeder over the year. Everything
will turn into a mutt bee scene within 2-3 cycle of queen rearing. Trying to bring back the
Cordovan is of no use when 90% drone genetics are dominated by the carnis out there. Might
as well raise some mutt queens from picking the cream of the crop to start with.


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