Buckfast bees: Does anyone have them and like them?

MBrowne · February 14, 2008, 09:07:38 AM

Quote from: TwT on February 14, 2008, 08:14:41 AM
did you get the contact info for the broker?

You can contact Bill or Rosemary Ferguson at 519-236-4979 or email [email protected]

buckbee · February 14, 2008, 09:51:07 AM

I worked at Buckfast Abbey for a year and those hives that still had Brother Adam's lines were a delight to work with. But, as with all 'pure strains', once they have crossed out with almost anything else, they can turn very nasty.

There are several places in Europe where Buckfast bees are still bred properly and they are still (according to the beeks there) as good as gold. Unfortunately, since Peter Donovan's retirement, the breeding program at the Abbey has fallen apart and they have many hives that are very hot.

I understand that Weavers in Texas had a franchise to breed Buckies, but stopped paying their royalties some years back. If their bees are now hot, it probably means they have not done the job properly.

sarafina · March 23, 2008, 01:23:20 AM

The class I took last weekend the instructor recommended Buckfast bees from R Weaver over any other. I had already reserved my package and queen of Italian bees from R Weaver and decided to stick with that. He also insisted you re-queen every year to keep the hive strong enough to ward off disease and pests.

Is this common practice to re-queen annually? Or is this how he keeps his Buckfasts from getting "hot"

JP · March 23, 2008, 01:35:18 AM

Quote from: sarafina on March 23, 2008, 01:23:20 AM
The class I took last weekend the instructor recommended Buckfast bees from R Weaver over any other. I had already reserved my package and queen of Italian bees from R Weaver and decided to stick with that. He also insisted you re-queen every year to keep the hive strong enough to ward off disease and pests.

Is this common practice to re-queen annually? Or is this how he keeps his Buckfasts from getting "hot"

If you raise them without chemicals and have allowed them to regress to natural, small cell, a queen can be fertile for many yrs, according to Don, aka fatbeeman. He does a once a yr test using a single empty shallow frame in the brood nest. If the bees draw straight comb with all worker cells, good queen. If they build cross comb or make lots of drone comb in this frame, which is placed in the middle of the broodnest, bad queen replace. Don's queens and M.B.'s have been known to be fertile for 4yrs sometimes more. In ahb areas, mark your queens.

...JP

Michael Bush · March 23, 2008, 12:12:34 PM

>Is this common practice to re-queen annually?

A lot of beekeepers do. A lot of beekeepers don't.

>Or is this how he keeps his Buckfasts from getting "hot"

Probably.

hardtime · March 23, 2008, 03:31:56 PM

nc beekeeper have u got pure russians ? if so how did thay do for u last year ? do thay build up good in spring. i have a 3 ib. pkg comeing with a russian Q .i am in south west VA.

ncbeekeeper · March 26, 2008, 07:04:24 AM

Hey Hardtime,

I was having trouble pulling this site up so I was not able to reply to you. I am very happy with my Russians and have had no problems with them "HOT", they seem to build up fast and start flying here around 49-50 degrees.

Good luck with your package and let me know if you having any more questions.

Scott..