>>In a message dated 95-06-19 19:32:41 EDT,       [log in to unmask] (Jim
>>Wagner) wrote:
>>
>>> I have noticed many references to Buckfast Queens on this list.  Can
>>>someone please tell me what a Buckfast Queen is and why there is so
>>>much interest in them?
 
>Dave Green wrote:
> <snipe>
>>   They are very dark in color, so it is a bit hard to find queens, unless
>>they are marked.
 
The drones in some cases are almost black, however the overall coloration is
just slightly darker than that of Italians.
 
>>  Some complain that they are a bit testy, especially in the second
generation,
>> but I haven't found them to be.
 
Some times this is true, but if you have eggs and drones the old testy queen
can be killed (shudder) and the colony will produce a supersedure.  I have
found that Buckfasts are gentler than my Italians and are less prone to
producing the rogue testy queen.
 
>>   My main complaint is that they are hard to establish.  I have had a lot of
>>problems with supersedure, however, they usually allow the queen to lay long
>>enough so the daughter is of the same stock.
 
I have found that the best way to start with new buckfast queens is be sure that
there are lots of sealed and developing brood.  Monitor the hive every couple
of days after release and remove all newly started queen cells.  The new queen
will start laying at full speed within 7 - 10 days.  The other method that I
use is to get the old queen laying in a shallow or half deep super.  I then
place her back into the original hive body, place a double screen board between
the shallow brood chamber and the rest of the hive.  The start is now on top of
the hive and its supers if they are on.  I then install the new queen in this
start and wait for 3 weeks before removing the start and setting it up on it's
own hive bottom.  At this time I place a full size hive body with drawn comb on
top and monitor for supercedure cells.  I have found that with this method there
are no supercedure cells because the colony senses that the queen is really
doing
a good job of laying.  She is able to fill all the shallow brood chamber with
eggs, keeping them happy until she can reach full production, which can usually
take 3-4 weeks.  Since I have been doing this I have yet to loose a new queen to
supercedure.
 Carl Mueller     Email: [log in to unmask]
 West Palm Beach, Florida USA