Which Breed Of Queen For My Desires?

[mgmoore7]

I keep my 4 hives in my back yard.  They are just a few feet from my garden.  Their flying pattern is over my garden.  My childrens playground is 20 feet away.  We have a fence around the garden and hives.  I can't work in the garden during flying hours without getting hounded and working them is not very plesant. 

Anyway, I have 2 hives that must be requeened since I try to follow the ABH recommended management practicies for FL.  The other two hives are doing ok but not stellar.  The queen in one is more than a year old and the other, I don't know.  Honestly, my hot hive was my strongest by far until they swarmed last week.

I am considering replacing all 4 queens. 

I think the 1st consideration should be gentleness due to the location.  Second, honey production is important.  I live in FL, so wintering is not really an issue. 

Have any recommendations?  Am I taking too big of a risk right in the middle of Spring if I want to make sure they produce some honey for the 2 hives that don't "have" to be requeened?

[Eshu]

I would recommend anything from Don a.k.a. "Fatbeeman" at Dixie Bee Supply.  His bees are quite gentle. 

[reinbeau]

I second that recommendation.  The most gentle bees I've ever seen were Don's!

[rast]

 Taking nothing away from Don, I really like the temperment of the one's I got from David @ Miksa Honey Farms in Groveland Fl. 

[Joseph Clemens]

I keep my 4 hives in my back yard.  They are just a few feet from my garden.  Their flying pattern is over my garden.  My childrens playground is 20 feet away.  We have a fence around the garden and hives.  I can't work in the garden during flying hours without getting hounded and working them is not very plesant. 

Anyway, I have 2 hives that must be requeened since I try to follow the ABH recommended management practicies for FL.  The other two hives are doing ok but not stellar.  The queen in one is more than a year old and the other, I don't know.  Honestly, my hot hive was my strongest by far until they swarmed last week...

I think you mean "AHB Recommended Management" -> AHB=Africanized Honeybee. Personally I appreciate the Cordovan Italian queens I get from -> http://www.koehnen.com. Extremely gentle, very productive, and a beautiful golden yellow color. If the queen no longer looks golden, you can tell she's not the original from Koehnen, if any of the workers are no longer golden you can expect they may no longer remain gentle, and may be ready for another queen replacement.

[Pond Creek Farm]

So how is it that certain producers manage to produce consistently gentle bees?  Do they immeidately requeen hot hives?  How ultimately do they cull the hot queens?  Manageable bees is really a paramount objective to me as a beginner.

[Michael Bush]

>So how is it that certain producers manage to produce consistently gentle bees?

Selection.

> Do they immeidately requeen hot hives?

Yes.

> How ultimately do they cull the hot queens?

I drop mine in a jar of alcohol.

[Shawn]

I would have to say call Don, "the fat beeman." I am getting a queen from Purvis Brothers but I am on a waiting list, whcih I was put on in 2007. Because I am new I dont know of anyone else.

[reinbeau]

Here's a link to Don's web page.