Tell me more about the Buckfast bee

[merince]

I've read Beekeeping in Buckfast Abbey. The only drawback is that it was way too short

I would like to hear more about your experiences with the Buckfast bee. I am interested in potentially starting a line for my apiary. I have located a Canadian breeder that is fairly close to me.

So, let's hear more about them

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Mine (new queen, P"ynes nuc) are super mild tempered; real confidence builders. Turned a bit more defensive right at the end of the season but that trait was definitely bred for successfully. Likewise, they LOVE to brood. Too soon for me to give much else but they really lived up to their "beginners' bee" reputation for me.

 

[drstitson]

why not treat yourself to "Breeding the Honeybee" and "In Search of the Best Strains of Bees" by Brother Adam?

 

[merince]

drstitson,

I'll definitely add them to my reading list. I am currently reading Contemporary Queen Rearing.

 

[For want of a better word]

I've read Beekeeping in Buckfast Abbey. The only drawback is that it was way too short

I would like to hear more about your experiences with the Buckfast bee. I am interested in potentially starting a line for my apiary. I have located a Canadian breeder that is fairly close to me.

So, let's hear more about them

You should also consider the Starbuck bee.

Despite cries of dismay from many who claim to have a line of bees going back to the last half of the last century, and bred and hybridised by dear old Brother Adam, it would seem to me that there is very little probability that the actual genetic mix of genes is extant today.
If you read carefully you will see "Buckfast Type Bee" on the packet!

The bees that are kept in many of the original Dadant hives in the apiary at Buckfast Abbey where the apiarists monk did his ungodlike work are now pretty much a Devon Local Mongrel (DLM) having interbred and mixed with anything that flew by... and 40% original Apis mellifera mellifera

To date I have not seen any information published as to the DNA profile of BA's final mix ( which I believe he was not totally happy with as being his perfected superbee) Latest finely tuned nuclear SSR microsatellite DNA syntheses prices are coming down... so perhaps one day someone will be able to replicate the final version, as it was, and you will be able to buy a real Buckfast bee.............................. don't hold your breath!

 

[Norfolk]

Buckfast Bees were my first love and I am still faithful.

I would say that............they are not the best at anything, but they are second best at everything.

(shamelessly stolen from Capt. Max von Stephanitz)

 

[Jimmy]

Regarding DNA analysis, in my reading of BA's work, he doesn't suggest that the race of Buckfast bees that he had was fixed, moreover it was a process/philosophy of continual selection of desirable traits.

 

[BDCS]

That's not entirely true as the modern ones are just as unreliable as the real ones were

 

[sipa]

All our bees are Buckfast, remember that this is not a breed but a hybrid bred to a set of principles.

No strain of bee or any hybrid is perfect, they all have their faults. But If you try to obtain the best possible stocks of Buckfast you will not be unhappy with your bees.

PM Sent

 

[beekeeping4you]

Despite cries of dismay from many who claim to have a line of bees going back to the last half of the last century, and bred and hybridised by dear old Brother Adam, it would seem to me that there is very little probability that the actual genetic mix of genes is extant today.
If you read carefully you will see "Buckfast Type Bee" on the packet!

The bees that are kept in many of the original Dadant hives in the apiary at Buckfast Abbey where the apiarists monk did his ungodlike work are now pretty much a Devon Local Mongrel (DLM) having interbred and mixed with anything that flew by... and 40% original Apis mellifera mellifera

To date I have not seen any information published as to the DNA profile of BA's final mix ( which I believe he was not totally happy with as being his perfected superbee) Latest finely tuned nuclear SSR microsatellite DNA syntheses prices are coming down... so perhaps one day someone will be able to replicate the final version, as it was, and you will be able to buy a real Buckfast bee.............................. don't hold your breath!

Above poster x Buckfast = unteachable and incorrigible...!

 

[Stiffy]

You should also consider the Starbuck bee.

Despite cries of dismay from many who claim to have a line of bees going back to the last half of the last century, and bred and hybridised by dear old Brother Adam, it would seem to me that there is very little probability that the actual genetic mix of genes is extant today.
If you read carefully you will see "Buckfast Type Bee" on the packet!

The bees that are kept in many of the original Dadant hives in the apiary at Buckfast Abbey where the apiarists monk did his ungodlike work are now pretty much a Devon Local Mongrel (DLM) having interbred and mixed with anything that flew by... and 40% original Apis mellifera mellifera

To date I have not seen any information published as to the DNA profile of BA's final mix ( which I believe he was not totally happy with as being his perfected superbee) Latest finely tuned nuclear SSR microsatellite DNA syntheses prices are coming down... so perhaps one day someone will be able to replicate the final version, as it was, and you will be able to buy a real Buckfast bee.............................. don't hold your breath!

Well I am not surprised at the usual diatribe of nonsense , I am a little surprised that some who regularly subscribe to this forum still cannot grasp what a Buckfast bee is or indeed what Apis Melifera ie honey bee is. They are all one species with differing strains, it will take more than a bunch of yokels in Cornwall or indeed a monk to produce a new species.

To answer the original question before the AMM zealots finally spoil the thread.
If you believe that a mix of the best bees around will produce a well rounded strain then a GOOD Buckfast line will probably suit you.
S

 

[Arfermo]

The above post by beekeeping4you is very good. What bothers me about getting some supposedly "Buckfast" queens is (a)are they really truebred - unlikely (b)imported possibly as one can never be really certain otherwise and that can mean anything the seller wants you to believe (c)too many warning noises that the next generation from a buckfast virgin interbeeding with the local mongrels can readily lead to a very agressive result. Not on my patch thanks -I'll stick with the time honoured locals that happen to be productive enough for my purposes.

 

[Norfolk]

Regarding DNA analysis, in my reading of BA's work, he doesn't suggest that the race of Buckfast bees that he had was fixed, moreover it was a process/philosophy of continual selection of desirable traits.

I think that sums it up pretty well.
As others have remarked (some more calmly than others) all bees are mongrels really but they do seem to have "traits" and whatever BA did all those years ago is still visible in the many varied Buckfast bees available today. IMHO anyway.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The above post by beekeeping4you is very good. What bothers me about getting some supposedly "Buckfast" queens is (a)are they really truebred - unlikely (b)imported possibly as one can never be really certain otherwise and that can mean anything the seller wants you to believe (c)too many warning noises that the next generation from a buckfast virgin interbeeding with the local mongrels can readily lead to a very agressive result. Not on my patch thanks -I'll stick with the time honoured locals that happen to be productive enough for my purposes.

My Buckfast bees bred with locals and remain docile. It's a matter of chance but don't assume agressive bees are an inevitable result.

 

[blackie]

I bought buckfast queen last year from dealer and was the worst most aggressive hive I still have but produce the most honey so I now use carnis and had no problems

 

[Norfolk]

I bought buckfast queen last year from dealer and was the worst most aggressive hive I still have but produce the most honey so I now use carnis and had no problems

Do forum rules allow you to name the dealer ?

 

[For want of a better word]

Do forum rules allow you to name the dealer ?

I very much doubt it !

 

[Stiffy]

I bought buckfast queen last year from dealer and was the worst most aggressive hive I still have but produce the most honey so I now use carnis and had no problems

There are sadly a number of dealers selling badly bred bees and calling them Buckfast. There are however many sources for well bred Buckfast who will supply you with some really good quality bees.
My apologies if my previous post didn't sound calm, believe me it wasn't meant that way.
S

 

[Tom Bick]

My best hive is a buckfast queen from a breeder and has produced approx 95lb’s of honey this year and last. It is a big hive and for three years has shown no sign of swarming. But for some reason late spring early summer it can be a bit grumpy nothing to bad but careful inspections are the order of the day. I put the grumpy behaviour down to the big foraging force frustrated waiting for the flows to start and once they are busy they could not care less about me.

I was going to buy in a couple of new buckfast queens this year but decided to put it back to next year. I like them.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

My best hive is a buckfast queen from a breeder and has produced approx 95lb’s of honey this year and last. It is a big hive and for three years has shown no sign of swarming. But for some reason late spring early summer it can be a bit grumpy nothing to bad but careful inspections are the order of the day. I put the grumpy behaviour down to the big foraging force frustrated waiting for the flows to start and once they are busy they could not care less about me.

I was going to buy in a couple of new buckfast queens this year but decided to put it back to next year. I like them.

Music to my ears, TB! 95lbs would make me a happy boy, although when Finman's around I aim at 100kg...