Amm

[Roy S]

Hi PH
Yes I do understand that there are members who would like this race of honey bee, so why are they not available as Apis mm to the beekeeping community? If they are so sought after why is there no outlet for them?
Can you as an avid beekeeper who promotes Apis mm explain why they are not available commercially?


Regards;

I think you've answered yourself there....they are VERY sought after and the limited amounts being produced, despite thier sometimes extortionate prices are being snapped up.

I also have Amm from Bickerstaffes and as PH says they have been out and at their business, when other lighter coloured bees have been tucking into stores.

Personally I prefer them to any other bee because they suit me, and a lot of other beekeepers in our association have shown a real interest in them.

Each to their own.

 

[Chris B]

It seems my current stamping ground used to be an AMM area back in the 1930's. I was sent a series of scans yesterday by the grandson of the AMM queen breeder. He was selling them commercially at a time when some people claimed they didn't exist.

 

[mbc]

My inspecers name is Gerard, I wonder if hes descended from black bees ?

 

[Finman]

.
Etymylogy: Gerard
male proper name, from O.Fr. Gerart, of Gmc. origin, cf. O.H.G. Gerhard, lit. "strong with the spear," from ger "spear" + hart "hard."

It was not "a man with hard sting" -

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Finman,
that is really interesting about the name Gerard. I really wanted to know that .Thanks!!

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

Amm from the place in greece could be a bit like Forrest Gumps box of chocolates,ya never know what your gonna get.

One of my friends ordered two AMM from Bickerstaffes last season. Both started laying ok though the offspring were another thing. One colony was black and the other all yellow. Another shrimp bubba......


Oh Galtee will supply to Northern Ireland bur not Mainland UK unfortunately.

 

[Poly Hive]

I would have had a few words to say about that to the vendor.

PH

 

[mbc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bcrazy
Hi PH
Yes I do understand that there are members who would like this race of honey bee, so why are they not available as Apis mm to the beekeeping community? If they are so sought after why is there no outlet for them?
Can you as an avid beekeeper who promotes Apis mm explain why they are not available commercially?


Regards;


One reason amm are hard to find in any large numbers for sale is that they re not the most suitable bees for q raising- they tend not to raise large numbers of cells. I know someone who keeps some italian type colonies just to raise cells from amm larvae - tried it myself but couldnt manage to keep the drones of the cell raiser in - every time I'd open the hive clouds of desperate drones would fly out( qx over the entrance)
This dissinclination to raise cells is also another justification for charging high prices for amm queens

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I would have had a few words to say about that to the vendor.

PH

Yes Poly Hive I would have too. I think he has emailed them but dont know what they will say. I thought they did all their breeding on isolated islands so they could guarantee the drones in the area??

I know Galtee when they first started breeding moved down the valley where they are situated and replaced all stocks of bees to guarantee AMM in their area. All stocks are meant to be AMM now with local beekeepers getting free replacement queens every second year I believe. The Galtee AMM is very quiet and productive and suited to the Northern Irish and Irish weather. If we had the better weather of England then a different strain might be the way to go. If I was to change I would probably go with Carniolian.

 

[sean_0]

. . . . with local beekeepers getting free replacement queens every second year I believe . . . .

I wish!! We get the first one at a discounted price and then pay the same as everybody else for the rest. Though having a monostrained area means we can breed true to type from our own stocks with no trouble.

 

[Busy Bee]

We get the first one at a discounted price and then pay the same as everybody else for the rest.

Did'nt know you could buy a Galtee Queen?

Busy Bee

 

[garethbryson]

Yes you can buy Galtee queens,

They are in great demand and very hard to get, The only way you "MIGHT" get one is to get your ascosiation to order one for you, I know the mid antrim asc does order them but they are in such short supply that if they order 10 they are lucky to get maybe 4.

 

[keith pierce]

My apis melliffera melliffera bees

 

[Black Comb]

I've never had mine checked but my nasty ones are much blacker than these.

 

[keith pierce]

they are slightly darker, the camera seem to have lightened them up slighty... carnicia are darker bees..

 

[Richard Bache]

hybrids and mongrels can be very dark as well. I have recently acquired the most pathetic excuse for a swarm (it might be a cast) consisting of very dark bees- I shall assess them more fully when they establish themselves. They also seem blacker than those in your picture (yours have slight yellowing at edges of the first abdominal segments). But colour is quite irrelevant...

 

[wilderness]

- I shall assess them more fully when they establish themselves. But colour is quite irrelevant...

Richard, what criteria will you use to assess this colony?

 

[tony350i]

My apis melliffera melliffera bees

ive got bees that look very much like these but smaller, i will have to take a pic and post it up

 

[Richard Bache]

Richard, what criteria will you use to assess this colony?

The most important factor for me is docility.

Beyond that, low propensity to swarm, good disease resistances (crudely measured by the number of chalkbrood mummies) and productivity come in.