Which strain of Queen

[Finman]

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There are allways differencies between colonies.

But flying in low temperatures is dangerous job to bees. It is not good at all. A lot of bees will die in out.

If you compare to human, busy and stupid is dangerous combination.
Lazy and wise is the best.

 

[JCBrum]

I have been casually studying beekeeping for two years and practicing for one year, so I don't know much yet, but I have made notes from my observations as follows.

1. If you want a lot of honey, you need a lot of forage within 1 mile of the hives.

2. To collect a lot of nectar, you need a lot of bees in a hive.

3. To keep a lot of bees happy, you need a large dry hive.

4. To produce a lot of bees, you need a prolific queen laying a lot of eggs.

Probably 1 and 4 are the most critical, but they are the ones which the amateur beekeeper can do least about except 'buy them in'.

Probably 2 and 3 are of secondary importance but are the most easily managed by the beekeeper.

All 4 remain essential to a large honey crop.

I'm still trying to arrange all this for next year.

 

[Finman]

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That is very good formulated JB. And it is hard work to succeed in it.

If you keep hives ibn one place, it is difficult to make more honey.
Many have said that when they dropped hive number to half in the yeard, they got same total amount of honey than earlier.

It means that pastures have been over grazed.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Don't forget number 5, you need good weather also. shame we have no control of that.

 

[JCBrum]

Don't forget number 5, you need good weather also. shame we have no control of that.

Ha Ha true,

We could choose which country in which to live I suppose ..........

Where in the world would each of us choose, I wonder ?

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[Finman]

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And number 6, good luck and
# 7, wife which has a work place and steady incomes.

 

[BKF Admin]

How to increase yield by 50% in first year as a beekeeper:

Cut down number of inspections and time taken to inspect.

 

[JCBrum]

How to increase yield by 50% in first year as a beekeeper:

Cut down number of inspections and time taken to inspect.

Do you think, if following that advice, that there is an optimal time to carry out an 'artificial swarm' process, regardless of the state of the bees, and as an automatic routine procedure ??

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[BKF Admin]

As an example JC:
If you clip your queen you can buy an extra 3 days plus between inspections.
Thats 3 days per inspection cycle - Take May,June,July as an example,thats 12 inspections(one per week) reduced down to 9 inspections with a simple snip.

 

[BDaddy]

Do you think, if following that advice, that there is an optimal time to carry out an 'artificial swarm' process, regardless of the state of the bees, and as an automatic routine procedure ??

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I personally think the key here is to work in a way which mirrors what the bees are trying to do and then fool them into doing what you want

 

[JCBrum]

As an example JC:
If you clip your queen you can buy an extra 3 days plus between inspections.
Thats 3 days per inspection cycle - Take May,June,July as an example,thats 12 inspections(one per week) reduced down to 9 inspections with a simple snip.

I note you have 6 hives. During the period covering those 9 inspections how many hives would you expect to need an AS procedure ?

 

[Tom Bick]

reduced down to 9 inspections with a simple snip

I dont know why but thats just made me shudder

 

[OXFORDBEE]

I don't think I could get by with 9 inspections. I clip my queens but that's so that I can use weekly inspections and have a couple of days in had in case the weather is really bad and stops me getting into hives.

 

[Crg]

And drone swarm high in your blue sky, which are waiting your fresh tame virgins.

Unfortunately for that poor drone he'll be waiting a very long time

But if you have insemination tools, you are perhaps closer to your aims.

Closer, but I'd prefer a private remote island really.

If yuo have 20 hives, it is mostly difficult to find a good mother queen for breeding. From 500 hives alternatives are good.

That is a problem and not one I expecting to solve while I'm living in London.

 

[Finman]

Closer, but I'd prefer a private remote island really.


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Falkland is remote enough and you may sell queens in spring.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Can't keep bees in the Falkands ... it's too windy!!

 

[Crg]

Can't keep bees in the Falkands ... it's too windy!!

and not much in the way of forage

 

[skydragon]

Back to the original topic which i don't think has been answered.... Which strain of Queen ??

It's a valid question I'd like to know the answer to as a newbee as well.

I've a single hive right now and will put out my 2nd hive in the spring. I bought a Carnolian queen back in July, not knowing any different/better and now realise the following from a bit of research and (tiny amount of) experience.

Carnolian;

Pro's

- Gentle, calm and easy to handle
- Easy to buy in UK


Con's

- lay lots of brood rather than fill supers with honey
- prone to swarming
- Colonies can become very agressive when queen is replaced and mated with 'local UK' drones.

Next year I must have gentle, non-aggressive bees due to the location of my hives. This overrides all other concerns.

I would however like some honey and not have the hassle of swarm control worries all the time.

I will be using 14x12 brood boxes next year.

So....Which strain of Queen ??

 

[VEG]

You will have to do swarm control no matter what bees you get. I have 3 hives with carniolans in and have had a very good crop off them. From 3 hives I have taken 200lb and left a full super on each as well. You need to have a good source of forage in your area as well otherwise you wont get much of a crop no matter what strain of bee you get.

 

[Finman]

Carnolian;


Con's

- lay lots of brood rather than fill supers with honey
?

That is not true at all.

In case that your start is too small nuc and it takes too much time to get foragers and home bees into balance.

And if you have not good pastures, no hive can help you in honey foraging.

I had my best year 1994 and I got average yield 130 kg per hive. I was proud. I had mostly Cariolans.
Another beekeeper 10 km awy said that he got too 130 kg. He had mongrel Italians.
So, I undestood that it is pastures and weathers which give the yield.

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