British Bred Queens or Imported Queens - peoples choice?

[Curly green fingers]

I love your grumpy negativity sometimes.

It's because he's stuck indoors for months and is reading posts on here.

 

[Finman]

It's because he's stuck indoors for months and is reading posts on here.

And you are counting bees outdoors, which bring pollen in January.
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[mbc]

while I do now produce queens for myself I also like to try out others, I currently have a couple of imported BF and Ligustica queens that I bought in the autumn, I think I'd personally rather buy within the UK but then it depends on what you are after.

My main focus is on amm, if I could buy in fresh blood for my own breeding from different breeders in then UK that would be great, likewise with any other race, however, the geography and mix we have throughout most of the UK means it is very difficult keeping anything pure and reliable without I.I unlike the European breeders.

I guess what I would see as a big plus point for buying within the UK is that you have direct contact for any issues or advice and you know where they came from where as buying through an agent its more pot luck as to the reliability. (by which I mean beekeeping suppliers rather than breeders)

If you want to try some welsh amm pm me come spring

 

[HoneyQueen]

Nice mixture of replys.
Most of our stock are buckfasts but we do have a few other breeds to see how well they all compare tho.
We selectively breed for what we want in our bees from queen's that carry the traits & stop any lines that don't meet our requirements, we don't just breed anything. They are open mated but we flood the area with drones which we want the queen's to mate with but obviously there's no guarantee they only breed with our drones.
We are well aware of the demand for Queens/Bees in the UK, was simply a post to see what everyone elses thoughts were on buying British over imports when available. Sorry if my terminology isnt always 'right' colonies/hives you knew what I was on about.
Hopefully this year will be a good year for all of us who keep bees

 

[Swarm]

If you want to try some welsh amm pm me come spring

Indeed.

 

[For want of a better word]

Nice mixture of replys.
Most of our stock are buckfasts but we do have a few other breeds to see how well they all compare tho.
We selectively breed for what we want in our bees from queen's that carry the traits & stop any lines that don't meet our requirements, we don't just breed anything. They are open mated but we flood the area with drones which we want the queen's to mate with but obviously there's no guarantee they only breed with our drones.
We are well aware of the demand for Queens/Bees in the UK, was simply a post to see what everyone elses thoughts were on buying British over imports when available. Sorry if my terminology isnt always 'right' colonies/hives you knew what I was on about.
Hopefully this year will be a good year for all of us who keep bees

I don't keep bees... they keep me ( usually hold me to ransom!)

One must be so careful with terminology.......

eg.... What is a Buckfast?

A Carniolian crossed with an Italian bee..... a mongrel?
OR perhaps a carefully catergorised pedigree line of bees with known traits maintained by careful selection and breeding?

When someone asks what sort of bees you breed it is probably best to say Buckfasts.. as it is a world known brand....

Bit like when someone asks what kind of car you drive... I say Ford... saves argument!

 

[Curly green fingers]

And you are counting bees outdoors, which bring pollen in January.
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And there not even my bee's!!!
Mine are tucked up watching EastEnders! BBC 1 8pm.
I would , and will be buying British II queen's in the future. I would rather buy British queen's if possible

 

[madasafish]

I raise 10-15 queens a year..Note "raise" not "breed".
Sufficient for my uses and a few to sell.

Good calm nature, non swarmy and reasonable honey yield are paramount. As for type, "frankly my dear I don't give a damn"

 

[For want of a better word]

I raise 10-15 queens a year..Note "raise" not "breed".
Sufficient for my uses and a few to sell.

Good calm nature, non swarmy and reasonable honey yield are paramount. As for type, "frankly my dear I don't give a damn"

Just call them Buckfasts.... I see "Beckees bees" are selling Defra and NBU approved ones... Dutch/French/Danish even German.... all naturally open mated of course!

 

[SDM]

I buy queens based on reputation/performance, not country of origin.

 

[Ian123]

I tried that with a girlfriend before

 

[Newbeeneil]

I tried that with a girlfriend before

Now this thread could be getting interesting!

 

[Repwoc]

I tried that with a girlfriend before

Do tell - did she perform up to her reputation?

 

[For want of a better word]

Do tell - did she perform up to her reputation?

Poor lad probably got stung!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you want to try some welsh amm pm me come spring

They're really rather good

 

[TooBee...]

eg.... What is a Buckfast?

a breed of apis mellifera, if you don't understand what any of those words mean google them!

As for
https://www.beckysbeesonlineshop.co.uk/mated-queens-16-c.asp
they run a very professional business, there is nothing wrong with that, working with Defra and NBU are to be praised (unaware of them working with Defra, I'll ask next time).

 

[GuyNir]

Good calm nature, non swarmy and reasonable honey yield are paramount. As for type, "frankly my dear I don't give a damn"

 

[Anduril]

Earlier this week in a beekeeping association lecture by an eminent Cardiff professor, he stated that drones they were testing were found in hives 20 miles away and from their mating site in Cleppa Park, only 10% of the drones he used mated with the queens he was testing.

 

[Stiffy]

As for
https://www.beckysbeesonlineshop.co.uk/mated-queens-16-c.asp
they run a very professional business, there is nothing wrong with that, working with Defra and NBU are to be praised (unaware of them working with Defra, I'll ask next time).

I have found them very good, nice to see someone work hard, do well and build a good business. Some people really can’t stand seeing anyone get on, horrid trait this country seems to have adopted.
S

 

[Finman]

.
I am very glad that I have tried many kind of bees from different origins.

First I started with black bee mongrels. Non selected colonies very full of diseases. Brood area had more or less holes.

Most amazing has been, how wide variety is inside Italian race.

Native bees have superior abilities. But if I move them 2000 km to north, why the ability vanishes? Has it ever been?

But as I have written, I can buy marvellous queens, and they genes disapperar quite soon from apiary, when they mix with local bees.

But bees have changed in 50 years. Breeding is working all the time.

I do not believe that some bees remain in villages "native" or "on Ice Ace".

Like in Canada, winter losses have been big (30-40%). Queens and packages have been imported to compensate losses. Continuous gene flow comes from south in spring.

The most important goal in breeding in Canada is winter hardiness. Sounds old fashion.
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