New Queens

[B+.]

AFAIK the Superbee from Cyprus is a Buckfast strain that the breeder has changed by selective breeding with other non Buckfast strains.

By definition, the Buckfast is a synthetic strain that requires the continuous introduction of new genes to maintain heterosis that gives it its large populations. Isn't this what the Cypriot breeder is doing?

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I can remember Starlines and Midnites, both fashionable strains of bees in their day, being introduced here. They deteriorated quite soon and then were no different from local mongrels/cross breeds. In fact they were decidedly inferior to the locals in some respects. They certainly could not retain their hybrid vigour on their own. They needed constant maintenance but could not maintain themselves.
Brother Adam was one of the finest propagandists or public relations officer - to use the currently popular term, that one might meet. The cachet of monk and abbey enabled him to sell the concept of a super pure-bred bee. I am in no doubt that his skill as an apiarist could be surpassed by many, including contributors to this forum.
I am in no way condemning anyone who breeds or keeps Buckfasts. Maintaining the hybrid vigour without loosing docility takes considerable skill and the honey yield can be substantial.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Brother Adam was one of the finest propagandists or public relations officer - to use the currently popular term, that one might meet. The cachet of monk and abbey enabled him to sell the concept of a super pure-bred bee. I am in no doubt that his skill as an apiarist could be surpassed by many, including contributors to this forum.

I suppose your song would be different if he were a protestant - that shows through on another few digs you've had

 

[Alabamaeee]

My understanding is that a royalty has to be paid to Buckfast Abbey whenever a queen described as Buckfast is sold. Quite sensibly breeders who may well have excellent strains of bees, but whose Buckfast provenance is perhaps tenuous, use alternate names.

Johann Tetzel, for some reason comes to mind "As the coin in the coffer rings the soul from purgatory springs".

Please provide a link to this information as I have never heard of such a Royalty being paid.

For those that are interested in his work here is a 5 part video series...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4j9tSneoL4

 

[sugarbush]

Please provide a link to this information as I have never heard of such a Royalty being paid.

You used to have to have a license to breed buckfasts, they stopped licensing breeders in the 90s or there about. Bweaver no longer calls their queens "Buckfast" for this reason. My understanding as that the Abbey still owns the name and legally it cannot be used by anybody.

For verification of this information you can contact Clair Densley [email protected]

 

[B+.]

If a queen bee were crossed with a Friesian bull, would not the land flow with milk and honey?

What ?

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I suppose your song would be different if he were a protestant - that shows through on another few digs you've had

You flatter me, when you suggest I can sing! I would never make it to a Welsh male voice choir (incidentally can Welsh women sing - one never hears of a Welsh female voice choir?)
As for Brother Adam, I have great sympathy for him, as a ten year old child he was separated from his family in Germany and send to South West England, hundreds of miles away to become a monk. It must have been a very traumatic time for him, it would appear that he had but little say in choosing the religious life.
Tetzel's efforts at raising finance are well documented and readily accessible.
I suggest you refrain from speculating on my religious views, or lack of them. These are private matters and not something with which you need concern yourself, but so kind of you to have done so. Do have a splendid weekend.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

................ My understanding as that the Abbey still owns the name and legally it cannot be used by anybody..............

Thank you for clarifying this.

 

[mbc]

As a concept keeping unrelated lines and getting hybrid vigour with the cross is clever, however, I've never heard of a Buckfast queen supplier own up to the fact that your buying into an unsustainable cycle of ongoing buying in queen replacements to maintain that vigour, messing up the local drone gene pool for others while you're doing it, and denying yourself some of the (imho)most gratifying aspects of beekeeping by tying into buying in queens. I doubt many would be sold if this were in the blurb even dressed up with a more sympathetic view.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

...snip ... denying yourself some of the (imho)most gratifying aspects of beekeeping by tying into buying in queens. ...snip...

It is for me the best part of beekeeping but I am really struggling this year. Have not got a single Q up and running yet, and that makes it the worst.

 

[Eyeman]

It is for me the best part of beekeeping but I am really struggling this year. Have not got a single Q up and running yet, and that makes it the worst.

I'm on my third batch of mating nucs up here in the north. 12 queens mated so far and another 10 in mating nucs.
Best weather in May we've had for mating in the past few years.

 

[For want of a better word]

Are ye using any ii or isolated mating?

Yes

Isolated sites are now being protected by speaking nicely to beekeepers in the area and the majority are queuing up for out native bees... and on the Rame Peninsular .. Dutchy have now taken on the Elliot estate and will encourage keeping of the Native Cornish Black bees.

Tragic to see imports going into an area where there are native bees that would thrive if not genetically molested with thoughtless introgression... that is my take on it.. others obviously care to differ.

Nos da

 

[For want of a better word]

As a concept keeping unrelated lines and getting hybrid vigour with the cross is clever, however, I've never heard of a Buckfast queen supplier own up to the fact that your buying into an unsustainable cycle of ongoing buying in queen replacements to maintain that vigour, messing up the local drone gene pool for others while you're doing it, and denying yourself some of the (imho)most gratifying aspects of beekeeping by tying into buying in queens. I doubt many would be sold if this were in the blurb even dressed up with a more sympathetic view.

True

Nos da