[OrionBee]

I do not know if this has been discussed before, as I am not quite sure where things are in VBulliten.

Going back many years to my first package of bees, the Star Lines. Does anybody know of the person that currently holds the copyright/patent (if one exists) for both the Star Line and MidNight bees as I was wondering if it would be feasibly possible to recreate the line.

The only person that I can confirm that was in the star line program was Mel Greenleaf, as he was creating breeder queens in LaBelle Flordia (as per the brushy mountain DVD) back in the early 90s(?).

If anybody has any knowledge of how these hybrids died out, or any answers to the above information, I would be greatly appreciative to the help.

At the moment, I am trying to figure out if it would even be possible (as for me being somewhat new to raising my own queens) to produce these for my own use, or prehaps buying the patent in order to raise these for general sales.


OrionBee

 

[BigDaddyDS]

How the hybrids "died" out has been a subject covered here before. Do a search on "Midnight" or "Starline" and you'll get several hits.


To answer your question that I HAVEN'T seen before... I believe that both the Starline and Midnight bees were made for Dadant. They may be the "patent" holder.

 

[habutti]

I believe if my memory serves me well that Larry Connor was the one heading this project try reaching out to him PHONE: 203-435-0238 email: [email protected] website http://www.wicwas.com (all of this came from his website, it is all public information)

 

[Michael Palmer]

I'm not sure why the Starline queen wasn't continued. I can guess...

It took managing 4 inbred lines (ABCD). A and B were crossed, and C and D were crossed. Then the resulting crosses were crossed.

The closest you might come now a days is the Minnesota Hygienic. Marla developed that bee from the Starline.

 

[StevenG]

If memory serves me correctly, I bought Starlines from York Bee Co. in the '70's and '80's. I don't know who took over their business, if anyone did. Or what happened to that company.

 

[BigDaddyDS]

According to Larry Connor, Starlines weren't continued because of the high cost of inseminating all the queens. True Starline and Midnights weren't naturally mated.

 

[OrionBee]

But how is that possible for the Star Lines and midnights to be have all be II?. in the years before 1960(?) II was not common place, according to what I have read, there have been major improvements over the years in that field. was the price somewhat higher then the regular queens of the period, as this long before I was born.

And while on the same subject of hybrids, how can the Buckfast be maintained without the use of II. I would like to be corrected if I am wrong, but they can openly mate and be successful in continuing the line?

I think I had better do some reading up on this kind of thing, as even in High school, genetic patterns were not my thing.

 

[StevenG]

Digging back through my records, I bought a Starline Queen from Montgomery Ward's in June, 1971, and paid $2.75 for her, including shipping... Seems like that was in line with regular Italians. In 1973 that same queen cost $3.25, a complete hive (deep box, frames, foundation, inner cover, telescoping cover, solid bottom board) was $16.49.
Regards,
Steven

 

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

B & B HONEY FARM
Rt. 2, Box 245
Houston, MN 55943
phone: 507-896-3955
Order line only: 800-342-4811
fax: 507-896-4134
- italian, carniolan, caucasian, midnite, starline -


YORK BEE CO.
P.O. Box 307
South Macon St. Ext.
Jessup, GA. 31598-0307
phone: 912-427-7311
fax: 912-427-4131
- italian, caucasian, starline, midnite, double hybrid -

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I found this on another post. Do these companys still have the starline and midnite bees for sale?


Kingfisher