Where you get your queens

Haddon · February 25, 2013, 01:55:07 PM

I was just looking for some queens I had a horrible year. I lost almost all my hives to SHB so this year is just going to be swarm boxs and splitting the last survivors. So I was looking for a few good queens on the small scale.

I was wondering where yall get your queens and I dont believe in paying more than 25 a queen seeing that I live in the sunbelt queen breeding band.

I was looking for a russian or 2 but Tubbs site says they are not selling this year kelly only sells crosses and I have had a few of those that did horrible but I might they one again to see if maybe it was just a few bad apples.

Anyway let me know where you get your queens and what you pay if you dont mind or your thoughts on different queens or breeders. I would love a breed that can survive shb because they dont even let mites become a problem here.

AllenF · February 25, 2013, 08:15:40 PM

Hardeman Apiaries Russian hybrid queens $18.25 each. I have also gotten queens from Wilbanks also but don't know current prices. Spring queens cost a bit more than summer queens. They drop down to about 16 each in July I believe.

jpmeir · February 25, 2013, 08:22:47 PM

I've gotten 2 queens from bweever in Texas that are doing well. Of the two, one queen is very active with a strong hive and the other I'm hoping will have a strong spring as i got her to replace a weak queen late in august last year.

James M. Wagner · February 26, 2013, 12:56:12 AM

I get all mine from this little peanut-shaped thing called a queen cell. They're free. :roll: -js

Joe D · February 26, 2013, 01:57:32 AM

Mike, I have only bought one queen, got her from Heath Sumrall in Sumrall. Got her last year, if I need any this year will get them from him also. The one I got was a Russian / Cordovan cross. She has her hive full of bees and are gentle. I like the yellow bees. I gave $20 last spring. Good luck with what ever you get.

Joe

Haddon · February 26, 2013, 11:12:10 AM

hey Joe you got heaths number

Oh and I tried those little peanuts

I had a horrible time getting queens breed and back in the box last year and with only 2 or 3 hives now I dont want to take that chance.

James M. Wagner · February 26, 2013, 12:49:19 PM

Quote from: Haddon on February 26, 2013, 11:12:10 AM
hey Joe you got heaths number

Oh and I tried those little peanuts

I had a horrible time getting queens breed and back in the box last year and with only 2 or 3 hives now I dont want to take that chance.

Oh, I understand. I was being a little bit facetious. Are you wanting queens to replace your current queens or for increase? If for increase, why don't you try splitting off a few nucs. Then when (and IF) they get bred and are productive, use them to replace the old ones. That way, you don't risk going queenless and you get locally bred queens at a really good price. -js

Joe D · February 26, 2013, 12:56:40 PM

Heaths number is 601-543-4440, if it OK to put it on here. It is just the local place I have gotten a queen. I did call him to make sure it was OK with him to have his number placed here.

Joe

Haddon · February 26, 2013, 03:19:56 PM

Dixie

I have done that no problem.

But now that I am back down to so few I need some better odds. In other words I need a split to work not maybe work. Not saying if I cant get queens before swarming I wont be spliting frames in nucs again.

Last year was horrible that's why y'all didn't see me on here after say July I texted Schawee and Michael from Brandon ms a few times but I couldn't take talking about what I was having to accept.

All my hives slimed one right after another it was so bad that I quit opening any hives after July. Reasoning every hive I opened was slimed in a week. Beetles so bad you could see them crawling on the outside of hives and I put every type of trap and treatment I was told only saved 3.

James M. Wagner · February 26, 2013, 08:59:44 PM

Gotta hate those SHB's. -js

RHBee · February 26, 2013, 09:03:26 PM

Quote from: AllenF on February 25, 2013, 08:15:40 PM
I have also gotten queens from Wilbanks also but don't know current prices. Spring queens cost a bit more than summer queens. They drop down to about 16 each in July I believe.

I bought a couple of summer queens from Wilbanks last year I think they were $25 shipped. Good queens, large hives this year.

T Beek · February 27, 2013, 01:30:03 PM

I've gotten bees from more than a few sources but BEEWEAVER out of Texas (no chemical treatments in over 10 years) remain my best survivors/thrivers for Queens AND packages.

I currently have 2 Beeweaver hives that have been active since 2010, and if not for the BEAR (Spring 2011) I'd likely have many more. :laugh: Only had a queen issue once and it was replaced immediately. I generally purchase 2 packages or NUC's per year, sure wish BeeWeaver wasn't so far away :)

BGhoney · March 02, 2013, 11:51:43 PM

If its the place I'm thinking its B-Weaver . Or they could be different places.

T Beek · March 03, 2013, 05:40:19 AM

Nope, my mistake, its 'B Weaver' the same place

2Sox · March 03, 2013, 06:19:01 PM

Oliverez out of California. Hybrid and hygienic. I tried quite a few from Wilbanks. Nice people to do business with but I feel their queens are duds IMO.

T Beek · March 04, 2013, 05:26:26 AM

I bought a couple of Oliverez queens last year in 2 local NUCs. One didn't make it but the other is alive and well. Both were exceptional layers. Those folks are also doing something right.

Haddon · March 04, 2013, 11:37:26 AM

I have worried of introducing African genes buy using b-weaver what are your thoughts on this. I mean the last I looked they are in the middle of africanized country.

T Beek · March 04, 2013, 11:51:37 AM

I've gotten packages and queens from them since at least 2005, never had a mean bunch yet. They know what they're doing IMHO.

jpmeir · March 04, 2013, 09:08:19 PM

FYI, you can buy bees from B weever or R weever

Haddon · March 05, 2013, 05:10:52 PM

what the difference between R or B