Best bees for next year?

[Compostcritter]

Next year we would like to nice to less Swarmy good temperament bees. What is your view for the best queens to replace?

 

[Ely]

A good local breeder nearest to you. Perhaps ask at the local associations? Someone might have good mongrels that are best suited to local conditions

 

[Tom Bick]

What have you got now?

 

[PBee]

Good quality Buckfast every time.

 

[beebreeder]

Good quality Buckfast every time.

GOOD is the important word

 

[REDWOOD]

buckfast x cecropia

 

[drstitson]

surely BxC suggests a particular supplier?
personally prefer to look further west.

 

[For want of a better word]

Good quality Buckfast every time.

IS there such a beast ?​

 

[PBee]

IS there such a beast ?​

Beekeeping without the epipen/smoker/veil/gloves etc. Can't see why anyone would choose otherwise.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Can't see why anyone would choose otherwise.

Until they mate with the locals and mess up the local poplulation.

 

[itma]

Until they mate with the locals and mess up the local poplulation.

Strangely enough, when I suggested that they had a bit of reputation, it was roundly denounced as being "another myth" ...

Perhaps those were 'interested parties'?
Everyone has a secret agenda! (Well, that's what the voices keep saying ...)

 

[madasafish]

Strangely enough, when I suggested that they had a bit of reputation, it was roundly denounced as being "another myth" ...

Perhaps those were 'interested parties'?
Everyone has a secret agenda! (Well, that's what the voices keep saying ...)

I am sorry but I've heard all these stories when I started..

Carnie crosses are evil.

Buckfast crosses are evil..

After 3 full years of both, with random mating, guess what ?

It's typical beekeeping BS.

I have no doubt some crosses are evil. But some local bees are evil as well..

I now treat such comments with the deference they deserve

 

[itma]

...
I have no doubt some crosses are evil. But some local bees are evil as well..

I'd happily go along with that.

Its no myth that they do have a 'reputation', but that reputation may indeed be a myth.

 

[farbee]

I get pretty bemused by these exchanges.

Is there even anything like local bees in urban or semi urban areas?

I can say buckfast has worked for me so far but that is not really very far.

 

[keith pierce]

Good quality Buckfast every time.

Absolutely not, till you have found out what are other beekeepers are keeping around you. What I can positively tell you, is that Buckfast / apis meliffera meliffera crosses are just about capable of bursting the tyres of your car and you beekeeping won't be a happy experience. All bees are capable of going bad at some time or other, but this cross is a guaranted recipe for aggression. So find out what your neighbours have and stick with the locals.

 

[klisic]

I get pretty bemused by these exchanges.

Is there even anything like local bees in urban or semi urban areas?

I can say buckfast has worked for me so far but that is not really very far.

Get Italians, gentle and not had a problem with them to date.

 

[Hivemaker.]

So find out what your neighbours have and stick with the locals.

And if they have nasty stingy unproductive bees...you keep in with them, and get the same.

 

[For want of a better word]

And if they have nasty stingy unproductive bees...you keep in with them, and get the same.

Not a balanced viewpoint..................

I knew one beekeeper in Surrey who imported new queens every year... and nearly always lost the lot over winter.

Others were quietly selecting their best, and every time a nasty, bad tempered colony appeared the annual queen importer was pointed at as being the culprit who brought in the nastiness !

Days before computers let alone the internet!

 

[PBee]

Absolutely not, till you have found out what are other beekeepers are keeping around you. What I can positively tell you, is that Buckfast / apis meliffera meliffera crosses are just about capable of bursting the tyres of your car and you beekeeping won't be a happy experience. All bees are capable of going bad at some time or other, but this cross is a guaranted recipe for aggression. So find out what your neighbours have and stick with the locals.

I went down the Amm route for years sourcing the best queens available and the traits do not change. Defensive/slow to work, hard to requeen, unstable on the frames especially when without a mated queen and mostly swarmy. I don't sell Buckfast bees or queens so I have no vested interest in promoting them but I wouldn't have anything else now.

 

[susbees]

Until they mate with the locals and mess up the local poplulation.