[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.

 

[AHudd]

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.

I missed this post somehow.
Thanks for this info. I tried to buy some Queens from New River this year, but missed the boat. Congrats on getting yours. I may have to purchase one of those Breeders next year as they seem to be available for a little longer. I just hate to put that much faith ($$$) in a bug in a box in the mail.
I am looking forward to this Spring to see how the Queens from R. Weaver work out. Those Texas Queens may fly back home after this weekend weather passes.

Alex

 

[ruthiesbees]

Alex, HootervilleBees in MI is another source for Canadian Buckfast. I bought 3 from him in 2020. got them in mid July so can't really speak to gentleness since I only had them in nucs. Canadian Buckfast Mated Queen - Hooterville Bees

 

[AHudd]

Alex, HootervilleBees in MI is another source for Canadian Buckfast. I bought 3 from him in 2020. got them in mid July so can't really speak to gentleness since I only had them in nucs. Canadian Buckfast Mated Queen - Hooterville Bees

Thank you for the reply, I will give them a shout.

Alex

 

[crofter]

I have reserved a few Buckfast queens from Ferguson Apiaries Henshal Ontario. He imports II stock every year from Denmark and I believe that source is maintaining stock and breeding protcols from Buckfast Abbey.
University of Guelph has a licensed breeding arrangement for Buckfast and an isolated island mating station. Due to Covid concerns it seems they may not have sales this season. That leaves Ferguson and Munro as the sources. You can get them accross the border but have to jump through enough hoops and expense that it sorts out the triflers! You gotta want to do it!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjwyI6qlezuAhXYQs0KHTguB9YQFjAAegQIBBAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffergusonapiaries.on.ca%2F&usg=AOvVaw0U5nV0jF5fbW3294IiqEix

He has queens raised from II Danish stock as well as from hygenic tested next generation queens. $ 100. and $ 50 respectively.

The Danish sites list the prices for instrumentally inseminated queens of various pedigrees 200 to 500$
That definitely sorts out the triflers!

 

[ruthiesbees]

I have reserved a few Buckfast queens from Ferguson Apiaries Henshal Ontario. He imports II stock every year from Denmark and I believe that source is maintaining stock and breeding protcols from Buckfast Abbey.
University of Guelph has a licensed breeding arrangement for Buckfast and an isolated island mating station. Due to Covid concerns it seems they may not have sales this season. That leaves Ferguson and Munro as the sources. You can get them accross the border but have to jump through enough hoops and expense that it sorts out the triflers! You gotta want to do it!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjwyI6qlezuAhXYQs0KHTguB9YQFjAAegQIBBAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffergusonapiaries.on.ca%2F&usg=AOvVaw0U5nV0jF5fbW3294IiqEix

He has queens raised from II Danish stock as well as from hygenic tested next generation queens. $ 100. and $ 50 respectively.

The Danish sites list the prices for instrumentally inseminated queens of various pedigrees 200 to 500$
That definitely sorts out the triflers!

New River Honey Bees' Buckfast Breeder queens are $500 each.

 

[AHudd]

New River Honey Bees' Buckfast Breeder queens are $500 each.

Last time I checked they were sold out.
I did get some ordered this morning from Hooterville, Thanks.

Alex

 

[AHudd]

I have reserved a few Buckfast queens from Ferguson Apiaries Henshal Ontario. He imports II stock every year from Denmark and I believe that source is maintaining stock and breeding protcols from Buckfast Abbey.
University of Guelph has a licensed breeding arrangement for Buckfast and an isolated island mating station. Due to Covid concerns it seems they may not have sales this season. That leaves Ferguson and Munro as the sources. You can get them accross the border but have to jump through enough hoops and expense that it sorts out the triflers! You gotta want to do it!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjwyI6qlezuAhXYQs0KHTguB9YQFjAAegQIBBAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffergusonapiaries.on.ca%2F&usg=AOvVaw0U5nV0jF5fbW3294IiqEix

He has queens raised from II Danish stock as well as from hygenic tested next generation queens. $ 100. and $ 50 respectively.

The Danish sites list the prices for instrumentally inseminated queens of various pedigrees 200 to 500$
That definitely sorts out the triflers!

Last time I checked, UoG was not exporting.
I tried to order from Ferguson a couple of years ago. I called early in the season and had a couple of long conversations with whom I assumed was Mrs. Ferguson who told me to call back in May, I think, only to never get an answer. Maybe it was my phone or they were too busy. Or possibly too small of an order or too far down the list of customers. There may have been too many vague export regulations. Who knows.

A few years back one of the local bee clubs got a big order delivered. I will try to get in on that if they do it again. I don't know when there are going to be meetings again.
Anyway good luck with yours.

Alex

 

[crofter]

Last time I checked, UoG was not exporting.
I tried to order from Ferguson a couple of years ago. I called early in the season and had a couple of long conversations with whom I assumed was Mrs. Ferguson who told me to call back in May, I think, only to never get an answer. Maybe it was my phone or they were too busy. Or possibly too small of an order or too far down the list of customers. There may have been too many vague export regulations. Who knows.

Anyway good luck with yours.

Alex

I got immediate replies. They do have an anti robot thwarting exercise at the end of their email reply page. I saw some mention that they now have a modernized web site so perhaps communications will be better.

I dont know what the expectations are for acquiring the import paper work. Perhaps the customer is expected to do the legwork on that. Not saying that is so; I dont know.