[Kingfisher Apiaries]

My questions is as follows-

Say I am raising VSH Queens for nucs or for sale. Say I am raising 20-40 at a time. What do I need in the way of drone colonies to be able to honestly say that they are pure vsh? What if I use drone colonys that are 1/2 VSH paired with a pure VSH breeder. Could I say that the byproduct is pure VSH if it exhibits the VSH trait?

I lied awake last night thinking about this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I forgot to add that I have the following options for a queen mating yard-
Yard in city, no idea about colonies in the area.
Yard with multiple possible areas to set drone colonies. But lots of other hives in the area
Yard with one or two possible areas to set drone colonies. But not other many hives in the area.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

OK, here is my question- What if I called them Open Mated VSH queens and the drone colonies I have out there are 50 50? What if I tested them all for the VSH trait before I sold them. Would that help?

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I should have read it through. I am planing on getting a VSH breeder. So if I have a lot of drones they (the workers) will be mostly VSH.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I want something that is sellable. Not mutts:lookout:

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I want mutts for myself, but I think for selling I should have purebred.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I don't want to do AI. I want to open mate but have enough drones so that I can say without lying that they are mostly the specific breed.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I am a Highschooler trying to make some money with the bees. I want to sell nucs, cells, and a few queens. I have plenty of crosses that are survivor and buckfast. I want something that will sell relatively easy, be hygienic, and produce honey. I have always been under the impression that mixes will not sell as well. What do you recommend?

Mike aka Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I read the articles. Thanks. Our drones are a drop in the bucket.

I have experience raising queens.

I have also memorized the fact that a poorly raised queen from good stock is worse than a carefully raised queen from OK stock.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I've heard vsh open mated are better than pure vsh, unless you are trying to sell breeder queens.

I read that a little bit ago on glenn apiaries site.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

I read your article in ABJ. I am definitely looking forward to the next issue.

I forgot to ad in the last post the reason why I said that about mix bees is that down here "pure" Italians (IIIItalians in east texas dialect) are the king. At least in our local club. Some people I know will faint if they entertain the though of using anything else.

So from what y'all have said, when I see a Italian or Carnolian queen in ABJ, it may not be a straight bred queen.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

i'd suggest coming up with the best mating protocal you can (in your circumstances), and describing it to potential customers rather than making claims you can't back up or control.

deknow

I like your protocol. That is what I am going to do.

Kingfisher

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

After talking to a few friends (including Blake Shook out of Dallas) I am going to do a mixing pot breed and see how it goes. I may get a Hygienic Italian from Glenn Apiaries and cross it with what I have.

Kingfisher