Different colored bees in 1 colony

[jester7891]

I have one overwintered colony from last year that did quite well.  The bees are Italian and light brown.  I bought a nuc approximately two weeks ago and put it approximately 5 feet from the first hive.  I was concerned about robbing (even though the nuc frames looked pretty good and the bees looked strong) so I put an entrance reducer in place.  I carefully watched for signs of robbing (obviously since this is only the beginning of my second year, I am not an expert) but did not see any signs.  Bees seem to come and go into the new hive without fighting etc. When I opened the hive, the bees are very receptive and not aggressive.  Things seem to be moving along properly with eggs, lava etc. This is my question.  When I look closely at the bees coming and going into the new hive, I see light-colored brown and darker colored brown bees. They seem to act as if they are all part of the same colony.  Is this possible?

               Thanks,

                                                                       Jester

[hankdog1]

Yeah not all the uncommon having the 2 hives that close together as the bees come back you'll have drifting and such and the guards will let them pass if thier carrying pollen or nector.  Think about it when is the last time you shut the door in the face of a neighbor that was bringing you a welcome to the neighborhood gift.  Bees are the same way they hardly ever turn down free food.

[Eshu]

It can happen easily since the queen mates with multiple drones.  So, most of the workers are half-sisters to each other.

[Natalie]

This is funny that you posted this because I was just about to start a thread asking the EXACT same question.
I bought 2 nucs of the same race of bee from the same guy and I noticed that they were light orange and yellow right away.
Then yesterday I was out watching bee tv when I noticed they now have black bees in there.
My queens are russian and I had heard they are suppose to be dark but now I have no idea what to expect them to look like.

[Brian D. Bray]

Packages and built at TOP (time of Purchase) Nucs have bees from several different hives.  The queens mate with as many as 2 dozen different drones.  The drones are from hives within a general distance of the hive the queen came from so she is fertilized with a wide genetic mix of sperm.  As a result the brood can range from very light in color to nearly completely black and everywhere in between.  That genetic diversity is what keeps a hive healthy and vivable.  The less genetic diversity the easier a hive can and will succumb to diseases or pests.

[patook]

It is true that the queen does carry the genetics of many males. However, since this is a new nuc, there is a good chance that the bees you got where not children of your queen at all.  Over the next six weeks or so the bees will gradually get replaced with children of your queen.

[Natalie]

That is what I was thinking as well. It looks like the newer bees are the darker ones.
I know I had orange and yellow when I first got the nuc but I did not see any black until this week.
The queen is a light orange color though so I am guessing the black is from the drones she mated with .
I had heard the russians were a darker race of bees.

[sarafina]

Packages and built at TOP (time of Purchase) Nucs have bees from several different hives.  The queens mate with as many as 2 dozen different drones.  The drones are from hives within a general distance of the hive the queen came from so she is fertilized with a wide genetic mix of sperm.  As a result the brood can range from very light in color to nearly completely black and everywhere in between.  That genetic diversity is what keeps a hive healthy and vivable.  The less genetic diversity the easier a hive can and will succumb to diseases or pests.

Something I have wondered about quite a while as far as the different races of bees - Italians, Russians, Carnolians, etc.  How do queen breeders control the race of the queen and her offspring if she can mate with so many different drones?

[hankdog1]

Packages and built at TOP (time of Purchase) Nucs have bees from several different hives.  The queens mate with as many as 2 dozen different drones.  The drones are from hives within a general distance of the hive the queen came from so she is fertilized with a wide genetic mix of sperm.  As a result the brood can range from very light in color to nearly completely black and everywhere in between.  That genetic diversity is what keeps a hive healthy and vivable.  The less genetic diversity the easier a hive can and will succumb to diseases or pests.

Something I have wondered about quite a while as far as the different races of bees - Italians, Russians, Carnolians, etc.  How do queen breeders control the race of the queen and her offspring if she can mate with so many different drones?

I know this is gonna sound nuts when it comes to bees but some breeders use artificial insemination.  Of course you pay for it too as for some odd reason human work costs far more then it does in nature.  Ohh yeah and i wasn't sure how long you had the nucs but yeah as a queen can mate with many males the hive shouldn't look uniform in color always.

[nella]

If a queen mates with several drones and they are of different breeds might that give you different colored bees in the same hive?

[NasalSponge]

Yes...I have one hive that has three banded Italians and also black butt bees from the same queen. Genetic diversity GOOD!!

[Ross]

like this?

[NasalSponge]

Yep...pretty close.

[Kathyp]

i checked out the last swarm i caught.  some of the bees have bright yellow 'fuzz' on the head.  i have never seen such a thing.  and no...it wasn't pollen.  wish i'd had my camera.  i'll try for pics next time.