Texas package bees

[daknoodle]

Okay, now that my wife and I have finally moved into our first home, its time to start preparing to set up for the girls in the spring.

I'm considering some package bees from either www.beeweaver.com or www.rweaver.com, has anyone heard of or used either of these before? I live in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area in north Texas, does anyone have any other package sellers in the north Texas area that they would recommend?

Thanks,

Doug

[victor schrager]

I have purchased Buckfast packages from them and they are great.

[dragonfly]

I have purchased Buckfast packages from them and they are great.

I have heard that you need to requeen Buckfast regularly to keep them from becoming very defensive. It's nothing that I can cite with scientific evidence, but something to check into.
There's a company close to Burleson(?), I think, that sells packages. If you want me to, I'll see if I can track down the name of the co. Let me know.

[daknoodle]

That would be awesome if you could track down the name.

I've heard a lot of great things about B. Weaver's bees and I'm considering getting a package from someone more local and then just requeen with one of their's.

[dragonfly]

I found the name of it: T'Lee's Bees, and I'll pm you her phone number. I believe it was in Burleson, and last time I talked to her, she was working on breeding some queens for mite-tolerant or resistant strains (that was about three years ago or so). It may be worth checking into. I don't remember her prices, but since she is fairly close to you, it might save you some shipping and time at least.

[Derek]

I got a package of "All Stars" from them this spring. They have been awesome. I will be getting more from them in 09.

If you join a club. You can get in on discounts for packages and alot of the members do splits and sell nucs.

[victor schrager]

I have had these Buckfast for two years and they are pretty relaxed.

[JoeMcc]

Just my 2 cents....

I had hive headed by B Weaver Buckfast bees that acted VERY Africanized. They attacked anything in a 100 yard radius that moved. I dont want to steer anyone away from trying the B Weaver Buckfast...but just be cautious. When a fresh swarm stings you nearly 100 times... something is wrong. Just wear a good suit until you know for sure.

BTW... They did bring in a lot of honey. At least 3 times more than any other hive in the apiary.

Also I have 2 hives I requeened with R Weavers Buckfast and hoping for a calmer hive that can still pack it in.

JoeMcc

[dragonfly]

Just my 2 cents....

I had hive headed by B Weaver Buckfast bees that acted VERY Africanized.

That's what I was referring to. My hive is very agressive, and I suspect that they were Buckfast in origin. The hive was given to me, so I can't verify it, but I had them tested for AHB genetics, and they are European.

[cow pollinater]

I like the bees I get from BWeaver, but I would hesitate to recommend them for a beginner. They are good bees but some are a little testy. I would recommend starting a package wherever you can get it and then pinching the queen and then buying and introducing a queen from gentle stock.
When I started with bees, the genltle hives helped me the most. When you are learning, You need to see bees being bees and that means a bee that will let you mess with them a little.

[Texas Bee]

I got 2 All American Queens this spring doing great. They are very gentle, will see how they will produce in the spring.

I plan on getting some packages from them this spring as well.

[Derek]

I like the bees I get from BWeaver, but I would hesitate to recommend them for a beginner. They are good bees but some are a little testy. I would recommend starting a package wherever you can get it and then pinching the queen and then buying and introducing a queen from gentle stock.
When I started with bees, the genltle hives helped me the most. When you are learning, You need to see bees being bees and that means a bee that will let you mess with them a little.

Cow has given some great advice. Search on here about both companies. There have been many post.

[hsbcapt]

I packaged 2 hives with All Stars this spring from B Weaver . Both gentle and doing very well even for my first year having bees.

[rfromme]

We purchased eight packages from Beeweaver Spring before last. We made arrangements by phone to to drive over to pick them up. After all morning on the road, we drove into their place only to discover that they had shipped our packages out that day to other customers. We drove back empty. They shipped our packages out the following week and we were promised five free queens to cover the mix up. Well, we called later to request the queens, the office said they did not know anything about it. The lady that may know was out of the office.

We have our hives located in the brush country near Devine, Texas. As for the BeeWeaver (All-American) stock, one of the packages swarmed within a month after being located in its new hive. We lost the entire investment. One of the hives was hot and very difficult to work (This is Texas and they were probably Africanized). Another hive had a bad queen and although she was fat and sassy strutting around on the comb, she laid no brood. The hive dwindled. We had to re-queen the hive with a Rossman qeen when Beeweaver dragged their feet on their offer of the free queens to cover their mistake with the original packages. Now, a year later, only one of the remaining BeeWeaver hives produced a single full super of honey. The other hives seem to be healthy and may do better in the second year. Last year was very wet and this year has been dry Our other younger hives have filled out faster then the Beeweaver packages.... so, from our perspective, the jury is still out on Beeweaver bees.

Bob

[fatscher]

I like the bees I get from BWeaver, but I would hesitate to recommend them for a beginner.

No offense, cow, but I may work up to Africanized bees after I've got about 100 years of experience under my belt!

I prefer gentle bees, whether I'm a beginner (I am--been beeking for 18 months) or if I'm 90 yrs old with 50 yrs aunder my belt.

Everyone needs to be aware that the USDA puts out a map, updated every month, showing counties in the US states where AHB has been sighted and is a problem. Weaver apiaries is smak in the middle of AHB country. Weaver's county is NOT colored in on the USDA map, but I think AHB knows no borders!