still getting swarm calls

[Thymallus]

I'm wondering what these will do to my bees with cross breeding?

Improve the hell out of them

 

[jonnybeegood]

Improve the hell out of them

Will they? In what way, at the minute mine are very prolific breeders & are pretty good foragers, how will these improve them?

 

[Thymallus]

Will they? In what way, at the minute mine are very prolific breeders & are pretty good foragers, how will these improve them?

If their genes do make a significant difference you will have bees that are so prolific you'll wonder what the hells' going on and the amount of forage they then bring in is astounding. You should possibly try some pure bred ones and run them as a comparison to what you have. I did and was amazed. But then my locals are so crap my cat breeds faster (and he's been neutered).
Local mongrels do differ in different regions.

 

[jonnybeegood]

If their genes do make a significant difference you will have bees that are so prolific you'll wonder what the hells' going on and the amount of forage they then bring in is astounding. You should possibly try some pure bred ones and run them as a comparison to what you have. I did and was amazed. But then my locals are so crap my cat breeds faster (and he's been neutered).
Local mongrels do differ in different regions.

The bees i have i thought were carnolians, the bee inspector who visited recently reckoned they were italian imports, have you any idea how these may cross? Am i better sticking with my own or just letting them mix & see what happens?
I know nothing yet of cross breeding so i sm concerned what these bees may contribute or not to my stock?
I wonder if i should do a cut out of the original bees these came from in the squirrel box?

 

[Thymallus]

About the only thing I can say is their genes are already diluted with local mongrels. If they are good bees and you are happy with them, breed from the best you have, but expect a few hiccups.
I work on buying in a few pure queens every year and breed a couple of generations from them but have to keep buying as cannot do pure matings. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but works for me. The extra honey they bring in offsets the costs of buying queens.

 

[jonnybeegood]

About the only thing I can say is their genes are already diluted with local mongrels. If they are good bees and you are happy with them, breed from the best you have, but expect a few hiccups.
I work on buying in a few pure queens every year and breed a couple of generations from them but have to keep buying as cannot do pure matings. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but works for me. The extra honey they bring in offsets the costs of buying queens.

I am hoping never to buy queens in, i would rather use my own so new genes will be welcome, its just i am so suprised in the difference of these bees to my own & any others ive seen around here. Its like keeping leather carp & bringing in golden kois lol, the difference in appearance is unreal, i am looking forward to watching these bees & how well they develop & expand. I'll have to get some pics of the queen she's amazing.

 

[Thymallus]

I am hoping never to buy queens in, i would rather use my own

It's a noble sentiment that many beekeepers aspire to. But if you take the practical outlook of most farmers who buy in the best quality stock they can then you may find you have similar choices to make. Farmers at least have some control over their breeding, but without isolated mating sites, II etc we are at the mercy of whatever we are surrounded with. In my area that is not good breeding stock.
I think a lot depends what you want to achieve. As hobbyists many are unconcerned with say honey yields as a measure. Yet to me the yields really tell me how well I'm Keeping my bees and how well different strains do where I live.
I do know I shall have to buy in stocks from those fortunate enough to be able to maintain and breed "pure" strains as my locals in my area are pure crap.

 

[Tom Jay]

To chip in on cross breeding: I learnt on my basics course that a key issue with cross breeding is the possibility of seriously aggressive bees, with certain crosses. One of my colonies [I was originally given Caucasia] has a queen who clearly mated with the local drones and I now have two new queens from that hive, who have just taken their mating flights. So I'll see soon if the remarkable gentleness of Caucasia has been compromised, or not.

 

[Thymallus]

I've had one "bad" F2 Buckfast colony which I would have said was damn awful to work with if I only compared it to my other Buckfast colonies.
But I still had some local bees to compare it too and basically it wasn't as bad as some of them. The rest of my F2's and even F3's have been a pleasure to work with.
But the "F2" aggression is something to keep an eye on, but not worry too much about IMHO.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I've had one "bad" F2 Buckfast colony which I would have said was damn awful to work with if I only compared it to my other Buckfast colonies.
But I still had some local bees to compare it too and basically it wasn't as bad as some of them. The rest of my F2's and even F3's have been a pleasure to work with.
But the "F2" aggression is something to keep an eye on, but not worry too much about IMHO.

These buckfasts seem gentle, i will be doing a full inspection monday so will let you know, i'll try & get some pics of the Q & bees & of my other bees to compare the two types.

 

[Thymallus]

From my limited experience they retain the Buckfast colouration through in the F1 and sometimes to the F2 although some of the F2's are noticeably more "local" in colouration. If she is an unmarked queen it is likely she is downstream of the "pure" mother, hence probably F1. But as long as they are calm and she retains the legendary Buckfast fecundity they will be fine.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Ok thanks, sorry for hijacking the thread i should have started a different one, i will when i get some pics & see if people can identify any thing i need to know. Thanks Thymallus, very interesting pointers