No use for cell starting this weather

[Poly Hive]

I grafted two days ago and got a miserly take of 11, and those I banked in the top super of a strong colony. Today from 22 grafts I got a take of five, and the starter box is boiling with bees, and in the super the 11 has become 5.

Given I am grafting against a deadline of going away for a few days, I am putting it on hold until my return and the wan hope of some better weather.

Good innit... not.

PH

 

[kevboab]

Totally agree with you PH. Weather is dismal and bees are definately not interested in raising queens unless extremely tight for room. Certainly doesnt help when you ask "when did u last inspect? " and the answer is " last year ! ".

 

[BBG]

I grafted two days ago and got a miserly take of 11, and those I banked in the top super of a strong colony. Today from 22 grafts I got a take of five, and the starter box is boiling with bees, and in the super the 11 has become 5.

Given I am grafting against a deadline of going away for a few days, I am putting it on hold until my return and the wan hope of some better weather.

Good innit... not.

PH

That's reassuring for us as we had a take of 2 out of 12.

We're grafting again today.

BTW are you a Buckfast fan?

 

[Poly Hive]

No.

PH

 

[Norton]

BTW are you a Buckfast fan

yes!

 

[BBG]

No.

PH

Nor us much but we're waiting on results.

What's your preference for Queens?

 

[Poly Hive]

I have been an AMM enthusiast for many years, but at the moment due to not being able to get them down here I am using Murray's Carnies bred in NZ.

I have to be honest and say they are .............. amazing.

1. Quiet.

2. Very quiet.

3. Sit on the comb.

4. Happy to do comb honey for me.

5. They are very reluctant to sting. They don't follow.

6. They have maintained them selves under very difficult circumstances..

7. They cross out with *XYZ* and the result is err... as above...

Further the others I have talked to who have this bee are as impressed as I am.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Average cell take is 18 out of twenty,weather is making no difference to this. Could be a bit better weather for mating flights,athough today and yesterday have been quite good.

 

[BBG]

That's good news!

We'll definitely get some next week to trial then.

 

[Norton]

 

[Haughton Honey]

How does one get hold of these amazing NZ queens to trial them?

 

[Luminos]

PM Murray?

 

[susbees]

I was going to start some grafts today...choices, choices...Now which weather to believe :/...

 

[Jimmy]

how does one get hold of these amazing nz queens to trial them?

kbs

 

[Poly Hive]

Murray didn't get any this year as far as I know.

PH

 

[Into the lions den]

kbs

Peter Kemble indeed did get some NZ stock this season, but so far as I know they were mostly the golden ones, of Italian extraction. I did not bring in any, for a mix of reasons but primarily they had a really rotten mating season and availability was low. When they DID come back available, and as I said mostly the yellow ones and not many at that, they were the equivalent of October mated here. I would not buy an October mated queen here, so would have been uneasy about supplying them on to others. I did not need any myself due to the lowest losses for many years here.

 

[johnandyrob]

I had some on order but because of the bad mating season my order was cancelled.

 

[Haughton Honey]

That's a great shame. I'd like to trial a couple at some point and compare them to my various 'Buckfast' strains.

Ah well, next year perhaps.

 

[Jimmy]

I ordered a couple of NZ carniolans from KBS in January and they arrived late April. I guess I was lucky if others had their orders cancelled. I wanted an early queen to replace a queen at the head of an evil colony. My apiary is within 100m of houses so I'm eliminating poor tempered colonies this year.
One didn't survive introduction into a 3 frame nuc, the other is building up nicely. Queen is dark, offspring are noticeably lighter than her and the parent local mongrel stock. Being calm when inspected with no signs of defensive behaviour means that I'm very happy with them so far - inspections are quick and far less stressful. If all goes to plan I'll take them to the heather in august.