Best bees for next year?

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Compostcritter

House Bee
Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Messages
104
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Location
Wellingborough
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
5
Next year we would like to nice to less Swarmy good temperament bees. What is your view for the best queens to replace?
 
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
 
Good quality Buckfast every time. :patriot:
 
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 ...)
 
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 :)
 
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.
 
Good quality Buckfast every time. :patriot:

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 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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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