looking for Native Dark Queen Bee

[theengraver]

Hi
im looking to source a few Native Dark Queen that have been mated
to beed from
is there anyone on the forum that has a pure strain or know of anyone that can sell them
Mike

 

[tberni]

Hello Mike

Contact Bee Improvment Bee Breeders Association - www.bibba.com. They are all about encouraging Native Black Bees so they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Thanks
Tim

 

[theengraver]

hi
thanks for that i had already email bibba and awaiting a reply
i just thought if any members of the forum will be having any spare this year
it would be nice to put the business there way
Mike

 

[jameskilty]

Hello. I am still waiting for confirmation from Terry Clare about the wing measurements he has and will be doing the workshop here in March. However, I select dark queens with all dark bees then on top of that for the usual mellifera characters plus signs of varroa tolerance - mostly chewing out the pupae at the purple eye stage or so. Some grooming has been seen and some varroa damage. I am hoping to sell some this year, both nucs and queens. Price £30 for a new queen proven to have all black daughters but I cannot confirm they are pure. If I can get a genetic test done I will. If I pray for rain during the mating season, maybe all will be black. The Galtee breeding group does good work. Google for them. James.

 

[dilys]

If I pray for rain during the mating season, maybe all will be black. The Galtee breeding group does good work. Google for them. James.

Good luck wit your bad weather James .

I don't think Galtee are exporting to Britain any more but fortunately there are still some decent bees left here so we can manage without them.

I too have bees with project Discovery and I have been told they want samples for DNA testing from 3 other colonies. It's all very exciting so I can't understand why BIBBA weren't inundated with samples from the start of the project. Once we all have our results we could consider swapping genetic material. I think that might accelerate the progress of some of us.

Dilys

 

[theengraver]

Hi
there not a lot of chance of getting pure native black bees
the best you can hope for is near native. within the UK there is only one remote island were there are still pure black bees
I will be II near native black queens in May will let you know how things progress
James i would be very interested in doing some swaps or buying if all goes well your end
mike

 

[Poly Hive]

Interesting to read such negativity.

I sourced and bought colonies from Morayshire that were off the BIBBA discoidal scale in the 90's.

I bought colonies in Aberdeenshire the same at the same time.

I am quite confident with some research pure AMM is still available in Scotland. The trouble is many owners actually do not realise what they have.

PH

 

[jameskilty]

Good luck wit your bad weather James .

I too have bees with project Discovery and I have been told they want samples for DNA testing from 3 other colonies. It's all very exciting so I can't understand why BIBBA weren't inundated with samples from the start of the project
Dilys

I have sent 3 lots of samples to 3 different collectors over the years and had no results fed back. As you have been asked for samples for dna testing this implies mine were not good enough but I don't know as yet. I have asked for feedback and am still disappointed.

 

[jameskilty]

Hi Mike
I will be happy to let you have some. I prefer to keep working on mine as I have been doing this a long time - 10 years now with varroa tolerance (the dream - holy grail!). I will start as soon as I have drones hatching.
James

 

[dilys]

James

BIBBA were extremely slow initially with regard to sending back results but I know that quite a few have received feedback in the last few months. I never actually got any plots back, just a letter asking for more samples for DNA testing from one of my original colonies. Fortunately I can do my own plots so only need them for the DNA work.

If I get an opportunity I will chase them up on your behalf, especially if you are prepared to swap results with me

Dil

 

[hedgerow pete]

does any one know what sorts of bees are avalible from.
the isle of man
outer hebridies
orkneys

i am under the impresssion that all three areas have a bee import ban going on to protect the local bee populations.

i which case would there not also be a chance of varroa free nucs from the the isle of man ??

 

[hedgerow pete]

i have tried talking to BBiBA. and i was not impressed at all,

unhelpfull, unfriendly and not willing to help, but thats just me.

all i asked for was a supplier of queens.

i am looking to get hold of some black quuens this year or next to start my breeding stock off with, trying to find quality with a good pedigree is hard to do. several people i have spoken to sell black queens but they are very far from amm

 

[theengraver]

Hi pete
BIBBA are very unhelpful i did the same as you and was told if i joined they would be more than happy to help
So i joined paid my £20 and in return i got a book listing all members
just there names and address`s no other information contacted a few off the list no a single bit of help
Emailed them again asking if they could narrow it down a bit for me
and was to to contact people of the list that were near me in the hope i could get involved with a near natative breeding program of a local strain but they would not be AMM.
well thats one membership that will lapse next year
They seem very disorganised out of date website

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

I would very much like to buy some of these black queens jamesklilty - if you are able to sell some then let me know. I have a mixture of Italian queens i think New Zealand and local black(ish) queens but always find it hard to get black queens. I like the idea of native bees. Nearly had some from a supplier last year but it fell through.

 

[drstitson]

native dark queen...

i may have got the wrong end of the stick BUT is this what you are looking for?

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

very good

 

[drstitson]

ok she was only a princess but pictures of queen of sheba were actually boring paintings or risque topless/nude photos not suitable for a family forum.

 

[iombeeman]

i have manx black bee over wintered 5 frame nucs available in spring,i can arrange shipping.i cant say they are pure black,but about as close as your going to get.
£125+£20 travel box+£15 postage.

 

[hedgerow pete]

cool,

iombeeman, whats the set up with the bee keepers over there , i was under the impress they had joined forces and aggreed not to import bees to the islands to keep varroa free. are you varroa free over there and has the beeks stayed to the one ideas of looking after there own?

 

[iombeeman]

yes there is a import ban on the isle of man,its against the law.however i dont think it will keep out varroa out for ever,oh well.....