queen and package prices

[franc]

I agree Axtmann with what you say Ive been breeding my own queens for about 5 yrs now and it really bothers me when other beekeepers bring packages from southern bees into my beekeeping area.My queens often end up mating with their drones and lose the ability to survive the winter.And it always amazes me that these same people complain about mites killing their hives when its really just poorly bred southern queens.

[loggermike]

Its just a matter of economics,not any lack of ability.This is a big country with many different climatic areas.So,I can buy queens from a friend farther south where it is full blown spring,while where I live high in the mountains it is still snowing.I can make splits and give them a mated queen way before I can raise them here.These early splits will average 60 to 100 lbs taken off in August.In May I can raise queens to requeen the others that need it..So we take advantage of the climate differences.If it didnt pay,I wouldnt do it.Also,just because its from a warmer area,dont assume the stock is inferior. Quite a few sellers use breeder queens from the North .You can get what you want ,you just have to ask(and pay)! Another reason is the bee outfits are larger here and dont always have time to raise queens.Between extracting and pollinating some outfits are already working 8 days a week!
---Mike

[Axtmann]

Loggermike I believe you.
That is the best way to bring the small hive beetle and other diseases in no time throughout the whole country, the Apistan and Cumafos resistant mites also.

[Michael Bush]

I don't think package bees are the biggest threat in regards to Small Hive Beetles and Varroa resistent mites. It's the migratory beekeepers who haul their hives from Arizona to Montana or Wyoming to California and back. I'm not critisizing them for making a living, but they are much more likely to have some hidden infestation that no one notices than a bare package that has just been gone through, and all of mine are stamped that they are free from infestation, which is more than the migratory hives get sometimes.

[loggermike]

Yes ,moving truckloads of bees around will spread problems.But that is how agricultural crops get produced in the real world.I just got back from the almond orchards in N.cal.where probably around a million hives from many states are starting to be moved into the orchards.Almonds are Californias biggest export crop.Nothing is going to stop something that big with so much at stake.Like it or not thats how it is.Everything comes here and we just have to deal with it.Money talks,BS walks, as they say.
---Mike

[dcross]

Lapp's in Reeseville, WI is charging $35 for a 2# package, $46 for a 3#.

[newguy]

To get back to the original question:
[list = 1]
<LI>Where are the best prices on bees? and
<LI>Any web addresses for the suppliers mentioned?[/list]
Thanks for whatever help you have.

[franc]

Newguy when I bought bees I used to buy 5lb packages from wilbanks then divided the package with some xtra queens I think 5 lbs of bees is about 55.00 plus shipping and queens are about 12.00 and you should be able to divide 5lbs into 3 hives so you save on some shipping.

[Jorge]

How many bees do you estimate you get in a 5lbs package? 20000 or so?

Jorge

[franc]

Jorge I'd say about 3000 per lb so about 15,000 total but im being conservative a lb of bees that fill up on honey could be over 2lbs so it could vary alot.

[thesurveyor]

As for me I will be ordering from CF Koehnen. They have the most gentle bees, and they produced quite abit of Honey last year. I have already placed my order and They stated they would not know the cost until around March.

Thesurveyor

[mark williams]

I'll agree with Bill on mr. mccary he is one fine man.I have been dealing with him for 2 yrs. & meet him last year personal.i've called him & he's always been a lot of help.& loves his bees. he was also named Ms. beekeeper of the year2002. I've got 15 pkg last year from him. Bill your right he's a hoot.

[newguy]

Any web addresses for these guys?

[dickm]

What part of the country is Mr McCary in. Does he have Carnolians form the Glen apiary stack?
What do you fellows think of the Carnolian Bee?

Dickm

[BULLSEYE BILL]

&gt;McCary 601.648.2747, (he's a hoot! and a real nice guy) had the Cardovans that I was looking for at $45 plus shipping, marked at no cost, and queens at $12 plus shipping. His stock comes from Glenn apiaries in Ca.

He is in La. I think.

Other than the Cordovans I want just for GP's, my next strain will be the New World Carnolians. If you can believe the advertising why would you ever want anything else? I plan to requeen everything over to them this year.
Bill

[Barry]

&gt; What part of the country is Mr McCary in.
http://www.beesource.com/suppliers/usbees.htm

McCary is in Mississippi

[mark williams]

Mccary is in Buckatunna Ms. just south of Merdrian . He's got cardovans only,

[dickm]

I also like the hype on the new world carnolians. Do you have a reliable source for them?

Dickm

[beekeeper28]

I have read a few post from Axtmann and it seems that they are often hostile to those who don't use his exact methods. To me what does it matter if a large number of beekeepers choose to buy packages? The topic is the buying packages. It does not mean that the ability does not exist to raise new queens or splits. How is it constructive to bring a supierior tone to these forums? Even if someone did not know how to do something - where better to learn than on a forum where many beekeepers could give positive advise. Frankly it seems that the post(s) from axtmann are not positive, but rather contriversal in general. My question is ... Is the intent here to share ideas and methods or to force every one to be "clones" with only one way (our way) as the standard for all bee keepers who enter these forums, and for all others to be classifed as inferior? Sorry the Freedom loving, Independant red-blooded American is coming out in me and I'm just a little tried of the tone that I have picked up on in some postings.
Tom

[Michael Bush]

Tom: &gt;I have read a few post from Axtmann and it seems that they are often hostile to those who don't use his exact methods. ... How is it constructive to bring a supierior tone to these forums? ... I'm just a little tried of the tone that I have picked up on in some postings.

I think that has been the problem. It's not so much what he says as how he says it. I'm not sure he intends it to come across that way. Perhaps some of it is a cultural difference. Some cultures are more diplomatic while others are more direct. Direct can be misconstrued as rude by cultures that are more diplomatic. Maybe some of it is a language barrier. His English is good, but he may be missing the nuances necessary to disarm some of his comments.

Also some of the misunderstandings are based on the differences between how beekeeping is generally done here and how it is done in Germany. He is constantly aghast at methods that are considered normal here.

Pakage bees and bought queens are the norm here in the USA. I've noticed that even in Canada, they are not. There they are more likely to buy nucs.