Amm

[pargyle]

And still the English keep creeping in.

Yep ... despite the cost of the bridge - going IN to Wales !! It's all that fresh air, unspoilt countryside, friendly welcoming natives, great fish & chips and welshcakes, warm dry weather ? Well, perhaps not ... some things are the same down there as over here !

 

[Norton]

The bee proven by science to bee the native bee of Northern Europe and the British Isles.

So what. That it is the native bee doesn't necessarily mean that it is the best bee for beekeepers and honey crops.

I am looking for funding to undertake a Ph D at present to research into the DNA and comparison to wing morphometry and other physiological factors that define Apis melifera melifera.

And what world shattering conclusions will be the result of all this work and expense? Doctorates are supposed to push the frontiers of science to new boundaries and add to human knowledge. Trying to re-describe the old farm horse of yesteryear does not fit into it at all. Type specimens of AMM, on which the taxon is based, are in the Natural History museum in Kensington and can be viewed by anyone wishing to.

 

[Dared]

Remember me the one that started all this lets turn things around a little and ask what bee would you recommend? I'm not keen on Italian as there traits don't seem to suit our climate, buckfast, not even sure what that means anymore so what's left for me?

 

[VEG]

Local mongrel

 

[Norton]

Is your question directed at me?

 

[Stiffy]

Remember me the one that started all this lets turn things around a little and ask what bee would you recommend? I'm not keen on Italian as there traits don't seem to suit our climate, buckfast, not even sure what that means anymore so what's left for me?

Buckfast are a type of bee that has been bred along and with the values developed by brother Adam. If the values are followed correctly then you have a bee that is disease resistant, productive and gentle to handle. Brother Adam developed these traits by crossing many types of bees, so they are and have to be hybrids. The process is still going on and the bee improved by good breeders, it is unfortunate that there are some out there wishing to cash in and are selling bees that have no provenance and do not meet the standard.

As for AMM, although I am sure there are bees that meet the criteria of the strain but can they really be called AMM, I would think calling them a local black bees would be more appropriate ?
Apart from inverted snobbery why would anyone want to have bees that have the traits of AMM......
S

 

[Finman]

.
That famous native black bee of Britain.

It is clearly said in British beekeeping history, that native black bee almost died for White Isle disease. It was tracheal mite. A new black beesctock was imported mainly from Belgium and from other countries. A German Brother Adam started to import many kind of bees to England and breeded famous buckfast. Now Italian and Carniolan are most popular bees in UK. So it was told to me.

I have understand too, that British Black Bee is sensitive to European foulbrood. It is not problem at all if you get resistant bee genome to your yard. So you need not to burn your hives or frames.

Productive bee? Swarm production? How many kilos per hive? italian is able to get 200 kg per hive in Finland.
Best yield what I have got from Black Bee mongrel was 170 kg. I weighed it.
It was a huge hive and very agressive. i could not give smoke on it because it became mad and attacked onto smoker.

Flyes near zero temperature? why? Gets only drinking water to larvae. Flowers make nectar when temp is about 20C

I have nursed European Black Bee 30 years and I have nothing good to say about that buck.
Then, thanks to varroa, it vanished. In Finland Carniolan took its place very quickly. At first Carniolan was not allowed to import to Finland but n one could not stop it. Something "native reasons by beekeeping society".

Stories about MM is full of carbage.

No one can get doctor studies from that saga.

.

 

[susbees]

It would help to improve your image if you could actually spell the name of the bee you wish to study correctly!!!!!

Indeed....and you aren't first passed the post on the topic either. Submission date Nov 2013.

 

[mbc]

So what. That it is the native bee doesn't necessarily mean that it is the best bee for beekeepers and honey crops.
.

I suppose some nice early available cyprus bred queens would be the best for us gullible brits.

 

[Hawklord]

I have read that queens mate with upto 15 drones and the drones could be of mixed parentage, that tells me bees were not meant to be pure.

 

[Bob Bee]

I appreciate this seems to cause "handbags at dawn" but I am interested in having AMM or as near as is possible. I don't want to import but am struggling to find a supplier in the UK, any recommendations?

I have read the other posts about AMM and find it strange that people go on about the purity of AMM and then say buy "Buckfast" bees, what are they as every supplier in the UK seems to be able to supply Buckfast bees (and AMM). If that's the case how can they be anything but a mix of local bees? Please don't read into this as someone against Buckfast bees as I am not as the ones I have seen are very very good bees.

I do have other bees not sure what they are though, very good natured but seem to like brace comb and propolis!!

There are plenty of sensible people keeping "AMM" 'type' bees without resorting to all the nonsense about purity and outdated ideas about them being 'wiped out by IOW disease' and being 'evil' (sad isnt it ?). I'm happy to put you in touch with people, but probably best as a private message if your still interested.

 

[Finman]

.
There are 600 dog "races" in the world. It woud be stylish if Britain can keep only one dog race which has been on isles since last ice ace.

What could it be? Lassie?

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[jenkinsbrynmair]

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It woud be stylish if Britain can keep only one dog race which has been on isles since last ice ace.
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Don't be silly Finny their honey yield is terrible and you'd have trouble keeping them in anything less than double brood!
And there would be world war three when they start sh!tting on the neighbour's clean washing!!

 

[Dared]

I find it so strange the mixed descriptions there are about amm. Small colony good tempered then massive colony bad tempered so what is it? Old photos show people looking after amm with no protection so how can they be bad tempered? Maybe when it becomes a 2nd - 3rd generation mix but is that not true for all strains?

 

[For want of a better word]

Get some local bees bred by a local beebreeder bred from local stock.......LOCAL seems to be the best bee for most!

And what is it with some on this wonderful forum, who just have to kick the player with inane and un ~ called for silly comments!

Talk about handbags at dawn!! ... I suppose anyone with a Doctorate in Palaeontology has wasted their time and money !

 

[Stiffy]

Get some local bees bred by a local beebreeder bred from local stock.......LOCAL seems to be the best bee for most!

And what is it with some on this wonderful forum, who just have to kick the player with inane and un ~ called for silly comments!

Talk about handbags at dawn!! ... I suppose anyone with a Doctorate in Palaeontology has wasted their time and money !

And if your LOCAL stock doesn't suit what you want from your beekeeping?
Although there are always some silly comments on the forum, most are said in jest
Not sure what Palaeontology has to do with this forum, maybe it has something to do with the age of its members ;-)
S

 

[Finman]

.
Some silly = 90%.

 

[madasafish]

And if your LOCAL stock doesn't suit what you want from your beekeeping?
Although there are always some silly comments on the forum, most are said in jest
Not sure what Palaeontology has to do with this forum, maybe it has something to do with the age of its members ;-)
S

Yes

All these under 70s are the problem...

 

[Swarm]

I watched a programme about the wildlife of the Hebrides that featured Amm, all the claims that it was wiped out are rubbish, the beek who keeps them is trying to prevent foreign bees being brought to the island in order to protect them.

 

[keith pierce]

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There are 600 dog "races" in the world. It woud be stylish if Britain can keep only one dog race which has been on isles since last ice ace.

What could it be? Lassie?

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Don't be silly finman. No relevance all