Amm

[Julia Swan]

Hello, New to beekeeping and want to know what AMM are. Should I get some and if so who sells them in N Wales. Thankyou Julia

 

[For want of a better word]

Hello, New to beekeeping and want to know what AMM are. Should I get some and if so who sells them in N Wales. Thankyou Julia

AMM... Amm... Apis mellifera mellifera The European dark honeybee.
Only honey bee endemic to the British isles and has been here since 10000 years BP.
Cause of much debate among some beekeepers who have a preference for exotic imported ( C group) Mediterranean bees.... as they seem to think they are better honey producers!

You should not have any difficulty in obtaining good quality Amm in Wales

Chons da

( Try MBC)

 

[SDM]

Are you after bees or queens ? There's a few places on Anglesey you can get Amm or as close to it as is possible with open mating in N.wales

 

[TooBee...]

AMM... Amm... Apis mellifera mellifera ...honey bee endemic to the British isles ...

Cheers, you mean indigenous, not endemic, as Amm is found elsewhere beyond it's original habitat.

Also remember some of us are more concerned about disease resistance (and other characteristics), rather than honey producing, just a thought, no need for us to have a falling out about it

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Try MBC

Although he is a lot further South and West

 

[mbc]

Although he is a lot further South and West

Indeed, there's a few places to get Amm in north Wales, Clwyd beekeepers Steve Rose et all spring to mind.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Indeed, there's a few places to get Amm in north Wales, Clwyd beekeepers Steve Rose et all spring to mind.

 

[For want of a better word]

Cheers, you mean indigenous, not endemic, as Amm is found elsewhere beyond it's original habitat.

Also remember some of us are more concerned about disease resistance (and other characteristics), rather than honey producing, just a thought, no need for us to have a falling out about it

OK... I was trying to be brief!!

 

[Poly Hive]

There can't be any in Wales, or England or Scotland for that matter as BA said so. So there!

PH

Look it's wet, dreary and I'm bored....

 

[B+.]

Indeed, there's a few places to get Amm in north Wales, Clwyd beekeepers Steve Rose et all spring to mind.

Is anyone keeping track of the background so closely related lines are not crossed?

 

[For want of a better word]

There can't be any in Wales, or England or Scotland for that matter as BA said so. So there!

PH

Look it's wet, dreary and I'm bored....

Brother Adam was not the first to make such a rash dictum.... one of my Biology Heroes did it some time before...... Roll on Summer!!

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Georges_Cuvier

Enjoy

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

they seem to think they are better honey producers!

Without evidence to the contrary, I suggest it's true

2018 (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=751&pictureid=3907 )
2017 (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=751&pictureid=3832 )
2016 (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=751&pictureid=3744 )

Can any of your Amm compete with my Amc?

 

[coffindodger]

Have a look at this group - probably worth going along to a meeting. Some well experienced people there. http://www.---------------.org.uk/

Personally, it's Buckfast for me; they're all mongrels anyway (head down)

 

[Swarm]

Hello, New to beekeeping and want to know what AMM are. Should I get some and if so who sells them in N Wales. Thankyou Julia

Welcome to beekeeping, Julia.
Yes you should, they are very nice bees. You have sources already mentioned and I can confirm that they are more than capable of producing a very good honey crop. I wouldn't keep anything else, good luck.

 

[TooBee...]

There can't be any in Wales, or England or Scotland for that matter as BA said so. So there!

PH

He never said that. So there!

... but in all seriousness, if you can get me a quote from him I would appreciate it, as I regularly hear this quote attributed to him, but after reading most (that I know of) of his books, articles, journals, lectures (including German) I have been unable to find him stating that the AMM was at any time ever extinct in these islands, would be a difficult thing for him to say, as I believe he had hives of them in his apiary, between 1919 - 1948; he incorporated Amm's into his breeding program each of those years, something that could not have been done if they were extinct here! If one ferrets around in the breeding records of "Gemeinschaft der europäischen Buckfastimker" found at https://gdeb.eu/ you can even get their respective designations (names) I think!!.

One should remember that Brother Adam drew a clear distinction between the continental (mainly Dutch) Amm's imported after the Isle Of Wight disease revaged these islands and the indigenous Old British Black Bee (an Amm strain) which he maintained was a superior bee, hence the reason for importing what he believed to be the indiginous Black Bees from the west of Scotland and Ireland in 1943 and 1945 respectively.

But we are digressing a little from the OP and I'm aware that this kind of thing can raise peoples blood pressure too much. Everyone take a deep breath (me included) we have more to unite us than divide us in our love of beekeeping

 

[Swarm]

I've received a PM asking what I consider a good harvest, with reference to last year and the wonderful time we beekeepers had.
My best last year (yes, an exceptional year) was 210lbs so that is 20lbs less than your buckfasts. This was after I split this colony in early June.
Very nice bees and daughter colony just the same.
Neither colony was fed for this Winter

I don't keep other bees so don't do comparisons but I can't help raising an eyebrow at some of the claims on this forum.
I can do without another year like last year to be honest, I'm still faffing about with the honey and I have a dear old couple down West who desperately want more comb honey this year.
I love my black bees

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've received a PM asking what I consider a good harvest, with reference to last year and the wonderful time we beekeepers had.
My best last year (yes, an exceptional year) was 210lbs so that is 20lbs less than your buckfasts. This was after I split this colony in early June.
Very nice bees and daughter colony just the same.
Neither colony was fed for this Winter

I don't keep other bees so don't do comparisons but I can't help raising an eyebrow at some of the claims on this forum.
I can do without another year like last year to be honest, I'm still faffing about with the honey and I have a dear old couple down West who desperately want more comb honey this year.
I love my black bees

The question is, rather than how much their Buckfasts did in an exceptional year (although I wouldn't consider 230lb to be exceptional) compared to native bees, but how well they do in an exceptionally poor season, and on average over a few years.

 

[Beefriendly]

If it's any use my Buckfast average about 180lbs a year and have done for several years.. I won't give you figures for last years exceptional summer as no-one will believe me.
I think it's important to understand Buckfast bees were bred for honey gathering (among many other desirable traits).

 

[Curly green fingers]

How can we compare when the Amm bee's have Italian and carnica gene's unless both buckfast and Amm are 100% pure.
I can't comment on honey crops from both I've not had them long enough.

 

[Beefriendly]

I've kept both in the same apiary.
There is a difference, one has been bred for honey gathering and another for purity.