[AHudd]

My Queens arrived on time and obviously in good condition on 05-05-20. I installed them that evening using the method described by Harry Vanderpool. These two photos were taken last evening 06-01-20. All four nucs are doing about the same.



I am very pleased.

Alex

 

[Akademee]

Thats a great looking brood pattern, I wish all of my queens were that good!

 

[MatthewKlump]

I am very pleased.


I bought 8 queens last year. 4 buckfast,4 Italian. The buckfast were a little hot but not terrible. The italians were great with awesome brood patterns. Very nice queens I'm just waiting to see how they overwinter here in Northern Michigan.[/QUOTE]

 

[Tigger19687]

I thought Buckfast were suppose to be super gentle ?
Wonder what the mix was in yours

 

[AHudd]

These are advertised as gentle. So far, only one has shown a tendency to anger quickly, but the test wasn't fair. My wife mowed too closely to them one day with the discharge pointed towards them. Only one sent out guard bees. She took three stings with a few more getting tangled in her hair. I asked her if she would do it again so I could be sure, but so far she has declined.
I'll know more this year as they grow into a strong colonies.

Alex

 

[Tigger19687]

I got a nuc of buckfast mutts and mowed right in front of them. Then again a few months later after I made splits, no issues

 

[Clayton Huestis]

I don't think Texas breeders of buckfast bees really have "buckfast" anymore. As far as I'm aware no new buckfast genetics have been brought in like 20+ years. I would think that important in AHB areas. Not saying they don't do a good job with what they have. But maintaining buckfast lines is allot of work even more so AHB area.

 

[AHudd]

I got a nuc of buckfast mutts and mowed right in front of them. Then again a few months later after I made splits, no issues

Was your discharge pointed straight at them?

Alex

 

[AHudd]

I don't think Texas breeders of buckfast bees really have "buckfast" anymore. As far as I'm aware no new buckfast genetics have been brought in like 20+ years. I would think that important in AHB areas. Not saying they don't do a good job with what they have. But maintaining buckfast lines is allot of work even more so AHB area.

Yeah, that may be true. I saw some for sale on E-Bay...... I also saved the links you provided, which reminds me it is time to follow up.

I tried to order some from Ferguson last year. I spoke with them before Queen season began and was told to call back at a particular time when they would be taking orders, but I could not get an answer from then on. I don't know what happened. Maybe they don't do small orders or they always sell out to regular customers.
I decided at that point to use R. Weaver. I have my reservations about Texas Queens, but I decided to give them a shot anyway.

There is a bee club not far from me that got quite a few last Spring. I am going to see how they like them, maybe I can get some next gen from someone if these don't work out.

Alex

 

[AHudd]

I am very pleased.


I bought 8 queens last year. 4 buckfast,4 Italian. The buckfast were a little hot but not terrible. The italians were great with awesome brood patterns. Very nice queens I'm just waiting to see how they overwinter here in Northern Michigan.

[/QUOTE]
Let us know how they work out for you.

Alex

 

[Tigger19687]

Was your discharge pointed straight at them?

Alex

a little, but the weedwacker shot all sorts of crap at the front as I hit too far down ... in the dirt lol. I was ready to bolt but nothing.
Then the Dearth hit and I decided that hand cutting the tall weeds in front was a better idea

 

[ruthiesbees]

I have bought open mated Buckfast queens from Jason at New River Honeybees in WV for a few years now. They are always super gentle, even into great granddaughter generations. I finally broke down and bought one of his $$$ II Buckfast Breeder queens for this year so I can continue to spread those good genetics. My understanding is he has various lines from Ferguson out of Canada from many years back. I really do love his Buckfast queens. I did find some in 2020 from a MI apiary that said their genetics also came from Ferguson. Don't have an option on those yet since I got them late in the season. But in general, Buckfast bees are my favorite to work. I did buy another queen from down in TX and because she was open mated, she was too spicy to live in my suburban neighborhood. I think the drones down there add a little too much spice to any of the queens you can get from those apiaries.