I don't believe it! Buckfast bumped off?

[nantmoel]

Indeed it is.
No matter what race / line of bees you keep, you have to test them yourself if you are ever going to make any progress.

 

[thorn]

Seems to be a common occurence with Buckfast queens - been reported a few times on here and seen it for myself. Bees accept and release the queen, she starts laying then they kill her and make EQC's!

My new buckfast was there and had just started laying the weekend before last. Last weekend there was no sign of her, but several queen cells, so at least I'll get her genes.

 

[Tomo]

I checked both nucs every week, no sign of QCs or any problems at all. Nice build up of brood all by the book then....hello who are you you huge fat unclipped unmarked Queen!

 

[For want of a better word]

I checked both nucs every week, no sign of QCs or any problems at all. Nice build up of brood all by the book then....hello who are you you huge fat unclipped unmarked Queen!

Don't go there!!

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

there was no sign of her, but several queen cells, so at least I'll get her genes.

Actually, you'll get half of her genes (in her haploid eggs and haploid drones). The other half will come from the drones the virgins mate with

 

[oliver90owner]

sometimes bees do stupid things.

Maybe sometimes, but not often. In this example the mistake is not really down to the bees. Blame the beekeeper. Think about why.
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Got it yet? Thinking beeks will.

 

[thorn]

sometimes bees do stupid things.

Maybe sometimes, but not often. In this example the mistake is not really down to the bees. Blame the beekeeper. Think about why.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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Got it yet? Thinking beeks will.

Then I ain't thinking. The hive wasn't anything like full. Why would a newly-introduced and mated queen swarm? Come on Oliver, let's have an answer for the more challenged amongst us.

 

[Fatbee]

Had the same happen - bought in queen to improve temperament , introduced in to nuc, laying well for 3 weeks and then gone with 2 QCs left in her place. The newly mated daughter is nice though - got her mothers calmness.

 

[Truble]

Seems to have been a common problem with Buckfast bees this year. The queen cells appear just before the new queens first offspring are about to emerge. Unusual ( in my case at least) as the recipient bees are also Buckfast, but from a different country!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Seems to have been a common problem with Buckfast bees this year.

And last year

 

[Truble]

And last year

Was there a common source country?
Last year we bought Danish Buckfast, no problems. This year we bought German and had these problems.
Are they trying to tell us something now we want out!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Seems to have been a common problem with Buckfast bees this year. The queen cells appear just before the new queens first offspring are about to emerge. Unusual ( in my case at least) as the recipient bees are also Buckfast, but from a different country!

I reckon the reason it's common with Buckfasts is because they are a common bee to introduce. I think it is a general issue.

 

[For want of a better word]

Was there a common source country?
Last year we bought Danish Buckfast, no problems. This year we bought German and had these problems.
Are they trying to tell us something now we want out!

Why IMPORT bees?

You can obtain excellent hybrids from UK breeders... who I am sure would be more than please to sell you nice queens to requeen your colonies with every year.

Yeghes da

 

[Truble]

I reckon the reason it's common with Buckfasts is because they are a common bee to introduce. I think it is a general issue.

It,s only this year I've had issue's with Buckfast.
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Colleagues are also reporting similar issue's, but again only this year.

 

[Truble]

Why IMPORT bees?

You can obtain excellent hybrids from UK breeders... who I am sure would be more than please to sell you nice queens to requeen your colonies with every year.

Yeghes da

And where do they get their breeder queens from? Probably from the same European sources I get mine from.

 

[For want of a better word]

And where do they get their breeder queens from? Probably from the same European sources I get mine from.

Well I know a few... AND THEY BREED FROM THEIR OWN STOCKS... TESTED AND PROVEN FOR CONSTANT GOOD HEALTH, FUCUNDITY AND HONEY PRODUCTION.

No need to import honeybees

Yeghes da


Perhaps it is something in the Trent... a funny fish ore something?

 

[Truble]

I've heard you mention your Italian bees.
Are they not imports originally?

 

[For want of a better word]

I've heard you mention your Italian bees.
Are they not imports originally?

OK lets start the usual miffy tiff that leads to a precocious Autumn Bann!

Bees have been imported into the British Isles since ... 1860? ( in large quantities)

According to some, who will no doubt, occupy a far higher place in God's Heaven than I will, the Native black honeybee was wiped out by the diseases and pestilence ( not to forget the misery of Varroa) that the IMPORTED bees brought in with them.

New and novel virus come in every year to decimate our existing populations ( Although widely reported by SBIs the new Danish Pastry virus has not been detected/ overlooked by most 2 hive keepers)...

My New Zealand's are providing to be good surrogates to increase the Native Cornish Black bee population.... so go Kick you balls somewhere else!


troll alert!
Yeghes da

 

[Truble]

Well Mr. Hopit such a well reasoned mature reply, I'm speechless. I have no wish to fall out with you or anyone else on this forum.
So I shall now leave you in peace to enjoy the keeping of your exotic imports and local bees rather than embarrass you any further.
Ciao'

 

[Tomo]

To get back to my point......there was no sign of Queen cells. This is more a case of a newly mated queen getting into an established built up nuc (she must have drifted? Maybe I should re-site my nucs round the corner?), that had a fat laying Buckfast bought from a very respected supplier, UK. Nothing wrong with the queen for 3-4 weeks then hey presto new one has taken up residence! I thought this was not supposed to happen! Surely the bees should have refused entry? I feel that new fat bee queen has killed established Buckfast.