Christmas List

[B+.]

The Principles of Bee Improvement Paperback – 13 Feb 2015
by Jo Widdicombe (Author)

Jo Widdicombe is probably the most experiences beekeepers in the South West
and has a vast depth of knowledge on keeping bees....

Nadelik Lowen

I would beg to differ.
I thought I should be informed about what he had to say so I bought a copy and was very disappointed. For a book that sets out to explain the "Principles of Bee Improvement" I found very little of value in it.
Of course, it is packed full of BIBBA propaganda but I expected that knowing who the author is. My disappointment lay in that there were no real principles expressed in it (just woolly BIBBA wishful thinking).
I'm sorry to be so negative but, I think the OP would be better off buying a decent queen rearing book or possibly even Dr Gudrun Koenigers book on mating behaviour. Failing that, look at "Understanding bee anatomy" by Dr Ian Stell (http://www.understandingbeeanatomy.com/).

 

[Millet]

Thanks Millet and Madasafish for the heads up on the Queens.

Might have to re think it......I thought though the idea in Queen rearing was to have your own Q's. Available in the Spring to cover Winter losses as its v difficult to purchase Q's springtime?

Can you give me an idea what 3-4 mated Queens, from a good stock costs and how that would compare with rearing kit and Apideas?

Thanks

Average Mated Queen £35 to £45 but it a bit of a gamble then the higher end upto £300..

 

[Angularity]

My wish is that one and all have as good a beekeeping season next year as we had in the one past.

Nadelik Lowen

Oh, I really hope not. Last year was a disaster honey-wise for me.

But thanks for the kind wishes.