Where do forum members (those who buy their queens) buy their queens from?

[Bee]

I've used:

• Black mountain honey
• BS Bees

Who else do people use & is there anyone out there doing queens with unusual lineages?

 

[Erichalfbee]

BS @BS Honey Bees
Cardigan Bay Honey @mbc
Jon Getty
Buckfast-Zucht before Brexit
@Hivemaker2 ( originally from his father Pete Little)
Northumberland Honey
Ricky Wilson
@Into the lions den Jolanta queen now sold by @Black Mountain Honey

My absolute favourites are the yellow bees but Ceri’s run them a close second
As you can gather I’m a lazy so and so and buy rather than rear my own.

 

[Bryang]

BS @BS Honey Bees
Cardigan Bay Honey @mbc
Jon Getty
Buckfast-Zucht before Brexit
@Hivemaker2 ( originally from his father Pete Little)
Northumberland Honey
Ricky Wilson
@Into the lions den Jolanta queen now sold by @Black Mountain Honey

My absolute favourites are the yellow bees but Ceri’s run them a close second
As you can gather I’m a lazy so and so and buy rather than rear my own.

Who is Ceri ?..

 

[pargyle]

Who is Ceri ?..

Ceri Morgan .. MBC on here.

 

[Bee]

BS @BS Honey Bees
Cardigan Bay Honey @mbc
Jon Getty
Buckfast-Zucht before Brexit
@Hivemaker2 ( originally from his father Pete Little)
Northumberland Honey
Ricky Wilson
@Into the lions den Jolanta queen now sold by @Black Mountain Honey

My absolute favourites are the yellow bees but Ceri’s run them a close second
As you can gather I’m a lazy so and so and buy rather than rear my own.

Which are the yellow bees?

 

[Erichalfbee]

BS Hivemaker and Buckfast Zucht

 

[Murox]

Like others I have used Jon Getty and jolanta queens via black mountain honey .

 

[Amari]

I've used:

• Black mountain honey
• BS Bees

Who else do people use & is there anyone out there doing queens with unusual lineages?

I've bought from Ged Marshall >15 years. Satisfied customer.
https://www.bhpqueens.co.uk/

 

[Mabee]

I got some beautiful dark (AMM) queens from a guy in Aberdeen called Stiliyan Georgiev (You’ll find him on Facebook), really good value queens and my favourite queens i’ve bought, really gentle and productive colonies and a he is a really helpful guy!
I also second mbc queens, I have a couple of those that are also really good.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Exmoore bees and British honey producers really good

 

[ajperry]

Northumberland Honey and Blackbeeman.ie

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Buckfast Wales,
,Jolanta, Italian & Scottish, direct,
BHP for many years,
Border honey,
Marco Melo ( Kangeroo line breeder).

Tried a few from mbc which unfortunately didn't suit our system. Certainly not a reflection on the stock though.

 

[Amari]

I see recommendations for Jon Getty's queens. Anyone got website/contact details please

 

[Swarm]

https://www.native-queen-bees.com/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I see recommendations for Jon Getty's queens. Anyone got website/contact details please

get in quick if you are going to order his queens - you go in a queue and get sent them in strict order (although you can delay them if they are ready too soon for you)
Northumberland bees have good queens too although I'm going to hold any feedback on them until I've had them for a full season (have had mixed reviews from other bee farmers) with them you can choose when you want to receive them
MBC (Mêl bae Ceredigion) also breeds good queens

 

[Murox]

..................Northumberland bees have good queens too although I'm going to hold any feedback on them until I've had them for a full season (have had mixed reviews from other bee farmers) with them you can choose when you want to receive them

Will be very interested in your feedback. I have recently put in an order for a June delivery.

 

[Swarm]

You may also consider Stylian Georgiev as recommended by Mabee. Very fine examples of Amm and very well presented, with lots of attendants.

 

[Moobee]

I’ve had some lovely queens from Paynes in Sussex. Locally bred, calm gentle & productive bees that over winter really well.

 

[elainemary]

BS @BS Honey Bees
Cardigan Bay Honey @mbc
Jon Getty
Buckfast-Zucht before Brexit
@Hivemaker2 ( originally from his father Pete Little)
Northumberland Honey
Ricky Wilson
@Into the lions den Jolanta queen now sold by @Black Mountain Honey

My absolute favourites are the yellow bees but Ceri’s run them a close second
As you can gather I’m a lazy so and so and buy rather than rear my own.

No way are you lazy! You’re the most dedicated person I know

 

[elainemary]

Who is Ceri ?..

I’ve tried one of Ceri’s locally adapted queens. Wanted to add to my genetics. I wouldn’t buy from outside our island and my preference is always to breed from my best and try as far as possible to have locally adapted bees, with the traits that are important to me and suit my environment (damn cold, windy and wet).

However from time to time it’s good to add diversity. I asked around and @mbc came up trumps. Whilst he’s a lot further south I reckoned west wales with the wet climate, though much warmer than the Pennines, would still be a good choice.

Lovely queen. No nosema ( know it’s endemic), no chalk brood, excellent brood pattern, lovely and calm black queen and bees. Productive too. She has a slightly dark brown banding indicative of Welsh blacks. I like her characteristics. She proved a little swarmy in what had been an incredible swarmy 2023 season, but the q cell numbers were low - good indicator. I now have her daughter and I will be testing and monitoring her to see how she performs before making further judgements. All depends on the boys now!

Overall if you’re interested in dark queens that have some AMM traits and genetics (though of course won’t be pure) I’d recommend @mbc and Northumberland honey. But ask for AMM strain or as close as they can achieve if you want dark hardy bees. My nearest neighbour has gone down the latter route which I’m chuffed about as we’re both commityed now to locally adapted hardy blacks. Bees in a remote location and it’s important to keep genetics diverse

What I will say to blow my own trumpet is since I have been working on my locally adapted bees for 7 seasons now - I get the odd rogue. I cull. I clip - I haven’t had a winter loss in 7 years and characteristics important to me are improving. The main ones hard to crack seem to be nosema (endemic and my bees seem to ignore it) and swarm tendencies. I personally think if your bees are healthy and thriving that’s natural anyway so as long as they don’t try 2x in one season I’m relaxed about this trait.

I’m a novice but just a few thoughts to date from me