About the Texas Buckfast bees.  It seems that different people have different
experiences with them.  I don't know what the factors are that might result in
the differences, but I can tell you from my own personal experience that the
Buckfast bees I have gotten from Weavers in Navasota, Texas, have been about
the gentlest bees I've worked with, the only bees I've ever worked without a
veil.  In my own experience, even their daughters have headed up gentle hives,
but this is, again, my own personal experience.  Maybe I got a good one and you
got a bad one?  I've never yet got a bad one from Weavers, but that doesn't
mean I may not some day.  Since I do my beekeeping in Texas, 20 miles down the
road from Weavers, maybe that might have something to do with it.  It's nice
to be able to keep bees that have been bred by a "local" breeder where maybe
they are adapted to my area somewhat.  You may have got a "bad" one, I never
have...what's the difference?--I don't know.  I DO know that you CAN'T say that
all Weaver's Buckfast bees are mean and aggressive, because I KNOW they are NOT.
Just another personal experience perspective to throw into the mix while you
curse Texas bees and praise Canadian bees.
 
Layne Westover
College Station, Texas, 36.4 deg N 96.2 deg W, 308' altitude, 38.6" mean ppt
max 106 F, min 2 F, today, a balmy 80 F, and a/c broken in my building