Anyone here have any experience with the Saskatraz bees ?
I got a package today with a Saskatraz queen from Mann Lake. (olivarez bees).
I have experienced olivarez queens, if that helps. Could not ask for a better queen, produced gentle bees, good comb builders and produced a lot of Honey.
I had their carnolians.My overwintered hive lost the lid in a windstorm after being intact since last fall. Not sure if it may have had help. The lid was weighted and went through many worse storms.
The cold rains ran through the hive before I even knew the lid was missing. I lost a very large colony that still had plenty of stores coming into spring.
This package was to be a second hive, but back to one. Hopefully swarm season will be friendly this year and I can replenish.
I don?t have them, but I hear a lot of good things about them. My biggest concern is the limitation for rearing queens off of them. They lose their hybrid vigor if you try.
Bush,
That is typical for hybrids. Kind of like breeding a horse and a mule.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 31, 2018, 11:36:49 PM
Bush,
That is typical for hybrids. Kind of like breeding a horse and a mule.
Jim
Ya at this point in my beekeeping venture I?m just not a fan of buying all of my queens. I know that it?d be more efficient for me but I just have difficulty buying something i can make myself. It?s the story of my life.
I can't comment on the Saskatraz bees since mine are all mutts as far as I know. I hope they do well for you. I don't thick that there is a magic bullet when it comes to the latest hybrid(including the purdue mite biters that I hear about).
Quote from: Bush_84 on April 01, 2018, 12:04:33 AM
I just have difficulty buying something i can make myself.
I agree with you. With 30 hives making it through the winter, hopefully, I won't ever have to buy another bee. :wink:
I personally do not like to buy queens. They work great for commercial beeks that plan on replacing them every 6 months but I want bees that can survive on their own and make it through the winter.
Jim
We purchased as single Saskatraz last year from Lappe?s. Ordered three more this year. Not a lot of history for feedback but it looks like she cane out of our long Montana winter just fine. I haven?t been successful yet rearing queens but I do plan on it this year.
Didn?t have a lot of mites in her hive but still treated before going into winter.
I have 3 of them but since they are new nucs this year I don't have anything to say about them yet.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on April 01, 2018, 11:38:05 AM
I want bees that can survive on their own and make it through the winter.
Even if winter is vacation in the tropics. LOL
I bought 3 queens this year as well. Been reporting on the other thread, but it got off track. So far, one is just gangbusters, another is what I call normal, and the third has spotty brood in 2" circles, but is building albeit slowly. Curious to see how they winter in our wet environment.
Jack,
They sound like typical hives. I wonder what would happen if you switched the location of the strong and the weak hive.
Jim
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
I really like the ones we have so far. They are much calmer than our VSH queens or Carniolans. Honey production is to be seen still. Later this summer.
Quote from: JackM on June 26, 2018, 09:11:17 AM
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
Jack,
I said that because bees are affected by magnets fields caused by underground water flow. I wonder if one has a good flow and not the other.
Jim
I think Jim is referring to the dousing exercise we did at beefest. If this is the case it would be better to just move the weak hive 3-4 feet away from the strong hive. The magnetic grid lines are 6-8 ft apart. If you swap hives you may see an improvement in the weak hive just because of drift.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 26, 2018, 10:07:25 PM
Quote from: JackM on June 26, 2018, 09:11:17 AM
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
Jack,
I said that because bees are affected by magnets fields caused by underground water flow. I wonder if one has a good flow and not the other.
Jim
The magnetic lines are about 9 ft apart in NY. Further south further apart. They always run west to east and south to north.
Other ionic flows occur at fault lines or underground streams and can go in any direction.
The magnetic lines are called Hartmann lines with a secondary 45 degree less strong line called Curry lines.
A swarm generally collects itself in a crossing of any of the above.
Placing hives on the Hartmann lines somewhat helps with varroa, and overall health.
Cheers
Tom
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Hello Tom,
Thanks for helping out and clarifying that.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 02, 2018, 04:47:04 PM
Hello Tom,
Thanks for helping out and clarifying that.
Jim
I just remembered I did what you did turn a hive in a different direction and it actually helped.
There is soooooo much we dont know that's where the rods come in handy. Never really know till ya ask the system.
Hope your family well...
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Folks, jump on my butt, but this is the second Saskatraz specific thread regarding the species that has evolved into a how to do other stuff. You want my information, then keep on topic. Sure the drift is interesting, but talk in a different thread, that is a whole topic in itself.
So be angry at me.
Troutdog{The magnetic lines are called Hartmann lines with a secondary 45 degree less strong line called Curry lines.
A swarm generally collects itself in a crossing of any of the above.}
Any way a person can look up or determine where these magnet lines are placed on a particular parcel of land????
Blessings
I would say no because they can move. Dousing is how you find them.
Per Jacks request, I?m opening a new thread about dousing. Let?s talk about dousing on it.
Jim
Buzzbee, are they from San Francisco Bay or is the date of the post a pointer ? ?
Thanks Jim. Lets keep our knowledge bases clean.
Another thing I noticed. We had a cold morning. The Saskatraz were flying and orienting at 43 degrees.
Oh Man, 43F,,,,,, I wish,,,,, it will be October before Arkansas sees that temp. More like 75F in the morning with blazing hot afternoon.
Geoff,
I believe they are from northern California.
JackM, my apologies, yes I drifted earlier to another subject. Yes Sir, I want your input on this species of Honey bee orgin from Canada. Please keep us posted and forgive my slip up.
Blessings
Geoff, they are available out of Cali and Iowa, I got mine from Iowa as the outfit in CA (closer) would not respond to phone.
Report:
Gangbuster hive made enough honey I took 8 frames and they still have plenty, 'normal' hive not so normal, minimal honey, lots of bees, but not impressive in any way. The weak hive has come alive. Plenty of honey for them. Unreal how well that good hive has done. Only seen this one time before with a swarm I caught.
Overall I am pleased with them, they did not get too aggressive until I got to the brood box and then they were pi$$ed. They calmed quickly
Jack, do you have 3 of these hives:
Gangbuster
Normal
Weak, which is now a strong hive.
Is the above correct?
Gangbuster sounds impressive, very impressive with the amount of honey you described.
Blessings
Yes Van, you are correct. Also of interest, and not sure if due to environmental reasons, but the honey was much darker this year. They seemed to favor something besides the big blackberry flow. Tastes more like store bought clover honey. There is by far more blackberries than clover in my area, many fruit trees. (bedroom community).
Therefore I am wondering if it is the difference in the honey stomach in them? It really is a noticeable difference over what I have had for the last 5 or 6 years all in the same location, just less blackberries as homes are being built, but still plenty, not far away.
The temps popped to around 50 this afternoon for a short spell and lots of bees in this hive of saskatraz making evacuation flights.
Hopefully they will finish out the winter ok.
Mr. JackM: would you please provide us, me, with an update on the hives:
Gangbuster
Normal
Weak,,,which grew strong.
Thank you Mr. JackM
they are in winter mode, saw some outside the gangbuster hive orienting on a warm day, the other two hives are just in winter mode. Won't bother them until next month, which will be the inspection that says how they survived. That is just about when the build up starts here.
Has any one tried Saskatraz in the southern parts ie: GA to TX area?
Quote from: paus on January 06, 2019, 02:59:03 PM
Has any one tried Saskatraz in the southern parts ie: GA to TX area?
I purchased about 50 Saskatraz queens very late last Summer and built 47 nucs with them and used a few to requeen some production hives.
So far, I have lost 7 nucs due to robbing so I removed the Immerie Shims I had on the nuc hives for upper entrances. The remaining nucs are doing VERY well. They are VERY, VERY active and I see them flying for the Ultra Bee dry feeders in temperatures in the low 40's. Very good brood producers. They are among the best honey producers from what I have read but I will wait until my observations provide me with some factual data.
So far, I am VERY happy with them. This is my 1st encounter and season with Sassies and I decided to try them instead of raising a batch of my own queens. If you buy them in batches of more than 21+, the prices was a VERY reasonable $24 each including shipping last season.
I am looking forward to raising my own queens from these and incorporating their genetics into my apiary. They are a very good choice in my opinion.
Thank Live Oak.
Ok great honey producers
Great brood production
Active, flying at low temps
What about: gentleness, swarming, mites, beetles, nosema, hygienics. Also did you treat for mites.
The queens originating in Canada most likely has never seen a small hive beetle.
Thank you for your input.
I think they are very gentle. I did not treat for mites last fall
Quote from: Stinger13 on January 06, 2019, 09:47:23 PM
Thank Live Oak.
Ok great honey producers
Great brood production
Active, flying at low temps
What about: gentleness, swarming, mites, beetles, nosema, hygienics. Also did you treat for mites.
The queens originating in Canada most likely has never seen a small hive beetle.
Thank you for your input.
I have noticed that they are more gentile than my Italian/African/Mut bees. Pretty easy to work with and no pelting in the head when near the hives like Italians do.
Hive beetles are a symptom of a weak or weakened hive. The best defense against SHB's is a STRONG hive. If you have problems with SHB's treat your hives with the Might Mite Killer. The Mighty Mite Killer allows me to kill more SHB's than anything I have tried.
I pulled about 80 pounds from the package I started on drawn comb last spring.
And this was with the rainiest summer weve had in quite some time.
On a side note, I noticed that Kelley Beekeeping is offering packages with Saskatraz queens.
Quote from: cao on January 07, 2019, 11:55:32 PM
On a side note, I noticed that Kelley Beekeeping is offering packages with Saskatraz queens.
Not a sidenote, good information
A touch concerned as the two weaker hives showed no activity yesterday, while the good one had a few orienting and one or two foraging the heather that is blooming in the yard. This is the time of year I loose hives. We shall see.
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
Mr. Jack, do you own any non Saskatraz queen hives??? Any hives to compare to?
FYI. We have 10 hives and five are Saskatraz. As of two weeks ago all were doing well. It?s been fairly cold this winter here. Hasn?t gotten above 40 but maybe three or four times.
Yes I have one that is mutts. All were not flying that day, but yesterday all were sending out foragers, so I guess it was just the moment. Whew. Not much to forage on, only heather blooming in my yard
Mann Lake is selling shipping Saskatraz queens with 3 pounds of bees. I cannot mention price per Beemaster rules.
First year, 2019, that I have been aware of Mann Lake shipping bees.
Mr. Jack, glad to hear your bees, Saskatraz are flying. You had me worried a few days ago.
Quote from: Stinger13 on January 25, 2019, 05:58:03 PM
Mann Lake is selling shipping Saskatraz queens with 3 pounds of bees. I cannot mention price per Beemaster rules.
First year, 2019, that I have been aware of Mann Lake shipping bees.
That may have something to do with the fact that they bought out Kelley beekeeping. I recently received the Kelley catalog and there are a lot of stuff that looks like Mann Lake products in it. I assume that the Mann lake catalog/website will have Kelley products in it as well.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 31, 2018, 11:36:49 PM
Bush . ''I don?t have them, but I hear a lot of good things about them. My biggest concern is the limitation for rearing queens off of them. They lose their hybrid vigor if you try.''
Bush,
That is typical for hybrids. Kind of like breeding a horse and a mule.
Jim
Jim what if they are AI bred with the same breed drones of a different hive (non kin) or if you will, bees of the same hybrid strain form different breeders. Would this keep the breed from loosing their hybrid advantages? In other words can a hybrid strains good traits be kept as other non-hybrid strains of bees such a Italians if done properly?
Quote from: JackM on January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 AM
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
I would open those hives up and check for live bees immediately. If you saw no activity at 50 degrees, that could mean the worst case but is not for sure evidence. If the hives are dead, you need to open them up and shake out all of the dead bees, and leave the frames open to sunlight for the empty frames and place the frames of honey and pollen in the freezer if the wax moths have not buggered them up.
If the bees are still alive, make you condense the amount of space they have down to the minimum with only frames of bees or frames of resources. Remove empty frames and boxes the bees are not occupying. If there are no resource frames, place a bucket feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the inner cover with an empty box to cover it and fill the remaining space with some sheets of foam insulation board INSIDE the box and above the bucket feeder. This will hopefully help keep the syrup warmer than ambient temperatures and minimize the loss of thermal energy.
Hope your girls are still hanging in there.
Quote from: Live Oak on January 28, 2019, 02:59:28 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 AM
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
I would open those hives up and check for live bees immediately. If you saw no activity at 50 degrees, that could mean the worst case but is not for sure evidence. If the hives are dead, you need to open them up and shake out all of the dead bees, and leave the frames open to sunlight for the empty frames and place the frames of honey and pollen in the freezer if the wax moths have not buggered them up.
If the bees are still alive, make you condense the amount of space they have down to the minimum with only frames of bees or frames of resources. Remove empty frames and boxes the bees are not occupying. If there are no resource frames, place a bucket feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the inner cover with an empty box to cover it and fill the remaining space with some sheets of foam insulation board INSIDE the box and above the bucket feeder. This will hopefully help keep the syrup warmer than ambient temperatures and minimize the loss of thermal energy.
Hope your girls are still hanging in there.
If you read further along you would see that the next day they were foraging. All my hives had some activity or another yesterday.
Brother Adam believed that bees that winter well are bees that stay quiet until the first blooms. Active hives in winter, he thought, were a bad thing for winter survival.
Quote from: Michael Bush on January 29, 2019, 10:10:24 AM
Brother Adam believed that bees that winter well are bees that stay quiet until the first blooms. Active hives in winter, he thought, were a bad thing for winter survival.
I agree with that statement. Brother Adam was correct as quiet bees consume less winter stores. We live in a climate where only those types of bees successfully survive our winters.
Quote from: JackM on January 29, 2019, 09:01:34 AM
Quote from: Live Oak on January 28, 2019, 02:59:28 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 AM
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
I would open those hives up and check for live bees immediately. If you saw no activity at 50 degrees, that could mean the worst case but is not for sure evidence. If the hives are dead, you need to open them up and shake out all of the dead bees, and leave the frames open to sunlight for the empty frames and place the frames of honey and pollen in the freezer if the wax moths have not buggered them up.
If the bees are still alive, make you condense the amount of space they have down to the minimum with only frames of bees or frames of resources. Remove empty frames and boxes the bees are not occupying. If there are no resource frames, place a bucket feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the inner cover with an empty box to cover it and fill the remaining space with some sheets of foam insulation board INSIDE the box and above the bucket feeder. This will hopefully help keep the syrup warmer than ambient temperatures and minimize the loss of thermal energy.
Hope your girls are still hanging in there.
If you read further along you would see that the next day they were foraging. All my hives had some activity or another yesterday.
My mistake. Won't happen again.
Should be opening the hives up in a few days, weather dependant. We got up to 70, the Saskatraz hives are all alive, I apparently lost my last mutt hive.
Did not have time to do an honest inspection. And, really nothing is blooming..yet...looks like Maples this week if weather holds. But the three hives live and are orienting and foraging. Will advise upon inspection, waiting a bit so I can do a split when I do.
By the bee dark color, I am apparently seeing older bees orienting and foraging.
Quote from: Live Oak on January 31, 2019, 02:19:39 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 29, 2019, 09:01:34 AM
Quote from: Live Oak on January 28, 2019, 02:59:28 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 AM
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
I would open those hives up and check for live bees immediately. If you saw no activity at 50 degrees, that could mean the worst case but is not for sure evidence. If the hives are dead, you need to open them up and shake out all of the dead bees, and leave the frames open to sunlight for the empty frames and place the frames of honey and pollen in the freezer if the wax moths have not buggered them up.
If the bees are still alive, make you condense the amount of space they have down to the minimum with only frames of bees or frames of resources. Remove empty frames and boxes the bees are not occupying. If there are no resource frames, place a bucket feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the inner cover with an empty box to cover it and fill the remaining space with some sheets of foam insulation board INSIDE the box and above the bucket feeder. This will hopefully help keep the syrup warmer than ambient temperatures and minimize the loss of thermal energy.
Hope your girls are still hanging in there.
If you read further along you would see that the next day they were foraging. All my hives had some activity or another yesterday.
My mistake. Won't happen again.
Mr Live Oak, I appreciate your advice. Please continue to voice it. Many New folks here that respect your opinion and I am one. Thanks, Phillip
Yesterday hives were great, today they are all dead. Dead bees all over the bottom. They got into something apparently. Everything dead .... well I guess not the brood...yet. Don't know what they got into, everything started blooming Monday.
Mr. Jack, OH NO!! I have been awaiting your inspection report as you said in a few days you will report. So everyday I have been looking for your response.
So sorry, this is not what I was anticipating. So sad, I know you had high hopes for the Canadian queens Saskatraz. I will by watching your post in the future, so if you figure out what exactly happened I would like to know. Again, so sorry,,, all the hives dead?????? all hives??? Even Italians??
Hang in there, don?t get discouraged!!
Van
Jack,
Really sorry to hear about loosing all those hives. I know how that feels. It will take a while to get over it. Do not let it Stop you from Beekeeping, I felt that way a little over a year ago. Now I?m back to over 30 hives and loving Beekeeping again.
Jim
My goodness. That's terrible!!! I'm sorry to hear it. :shocked: :angry: :angry: Thats just awful Jack. I certainly hope you can find a way to get going again.
Quote from: Ben Framed on March 18, 2019, 12:41:14 PM
Quote from: Live Oak on January 31, 2019, 02:19:39 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 29, 2019, 09:01:34 AM
Quote from: Live Oak on January 28, 2019, 02:59:28 PM
Quote from: JackM on January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 AM
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
I would open those hives up and check for live bees immediately. If you saw no activity at 50 degrees, that could mean the worst case but is not for sure evidence. If the hives are dead, you need to open them up and shake out all of the dead bees, and leave the frames open to sunlight for the empty frames and place the frames of honey and pollen in the freezer if the wax moths have not buggered them up.
If the bees are still alive, make you condense the amount of space they have down to the minimum with only frames of bees or frames of resources. Remove empty frames and boxes the bees are not occupying. If there are no resource frames, place a bucket feeder full of sugar syrup on top of the inner cover with an empty box to cover it and fill the remaining space with some sheets of foam insulation board INSIDE the box and above the bucket feeder. This will hopefully help keep the syrup warmer than ambient temperatures and minimize the loss of thermal energy.
Hope your girls are still hanging in there.
If you read further along you would see that the next day they were foraging. All my hives had some activity or another yesterday.
My mistake. Won't happen again.
Mr Live Oak, I appreciate your advice. Please continue to voice it. Many New folks here that respect your opinion and I am one. Thanks, Phillip
Sorry for you loss Jack. What did you see when you got out your " Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung." ?? I would appreciate your answer, as it might help the rest of us in a similar situation in case that situation were to manifest in the future.
Phillip
I never bothered with the fiberoptics.
Just sick. so many dead bees
Quote from: JackM on March 21, 2019, 08:43:04 AM
I never bothered with the fiberoptics.
Just sick. so many dead bees
I would be devastated. Sorry for your loss. I know this just recently happened, have you thought of what is next? I would like to encourage you, in not giving up.
Always concerned when I hear of hives almost literally dying overnight. We are still under snow and haven?t been able to do much yet. Since this is a Saskatraz thread I will say so far we are 9/11 with the only dead out being an Italian cross. The rest are Saskatraz and seem to be doing well.
Find out what caused the problem...that is very discouraging.
Quote from: JackM on March 20, 2019, 08:07:48 PM
Yesterday hives were great, today they are all dead. Dead bees all over the bottom. They got into something apparently. Everything dead .... well I guess not the brood...yet. Don't know what they got into, everything started blooming Monday.
Having them all die overnight like that is odd. Almost sounds like vandalism.
Quote from: Aroc on March 21, 2019, 11:02:35 AM
Quote from: JackM on March 20, 2019, 08:07:48 PM
Yesterday hives were great, today they are all dead. Dead bees all over the bottom. They got into something apparently. Everything dead .... well I guess not the brood...yet. Don't know what they got into, everything started blooming Monday.
Having them all die overnight like that is odd. Almost sounds like vandalism.
This is concerning to me also. I am trying to make sense of it. Looking back at previous post, the only clue thus far is;
? Reply #46 on: January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 am ?
Quote
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
Live Oak had responded to this. I for one sure would like to hear from you Mr Live Oak. Your professional experience is welcome by me. I am seeking the "education" . If you do not want to respond here please PM me Sir. Thanks Phillip
Mr. Ben, I am the fella with the fiber optic cable camera connected to my iPhone. Just a man toy, a gadget, I would not recommend as they are kinda pricey. Only works in winter on clustered cold bees. On warm days, the bees swarm and cover the camera lens, so can?t see a thing. Kind of cool though to view a cluster without opening a hive in winter and verify no mice. But I emphasized, it?s just a man toy, not at all necessary.
Quote from: van from Arkansas on March 21, 2019, 02:06:56 PM
Mr. Ben, I am the fella with the fiber optic cable camera connected to my iPhone. Just a man toy, a gadget, I would not recommend as they are kinda pricey. Only works in winter on clustered cold bees. On warm days, the bees swarm and cover the camera lens, so can?t see a thing. Kind of cool though to view a cluster without opening a hive in winter and verify no mice. But I emphasized, it?s just a man toy, not at all necessary.
From Jack
Re: Saskatraz
? Reply #46 on: January 24, 2019, 08:54:43 am ?
Quote
Very concerned. Yesterday was over 50. Not one of my hives had any activity. That is concerning, but it isn't good to open the hives right now. Might get out my fiberoptic thingy and try to get stung.
Oh Ok, thank you Ben for my correction, sorta, well I do have a fiber optic camera.
Still hate to hear Mr. Jack lost his hives. I hate it when I lose one hive but it is going to happen to me. Still not used to losing a hive, never happened as a kid. I always look for WHY, did I screw up? The answer is sometimes yes, my fault. Lost a breeder quality hive last year to condensation,,,, a breeder quality!!!
Quote from: van from Arkansas on March 21, 2019, 03:22:34 PM
Oh Ok, thank you Ben for my correction, sorta, well I do have a fiber optic camera.
Still hate to hear Mr. Jack lost his hives. I hate it when I lose one hive but it is going to happen to me. Still not used to losing a hive, never happened as a kid. I always look for WHY, did I screw up? The answer is sometimes yes, my fault. Lost a breeder quality hive last year to condensation,,,, a breeder quality!!!
I am with you Mr Van, I am sorrowful for him also. A loss such as that would be deviating to me as it has to be with him. I hope he doesn't give up. Don't give up Jack.
I guess Mr Jack must have gave up on beekeeping after the downfall of his hives. He has not been active since his last post here. I found this while looking for information to help answer Bush_84s' question concerning this strand of bee..
Phillip
Looks like a long read.