Chris asked:

> What type are your bees?

Working towards A.m.m.  Not easy in this part of the world as we have had so 
many different races brought into the area over the years - but we are 
winning!  The A.m.m./Italian hybrid seems to give the worst temper.  Some 
our best colonies are the purer A.m.m. - hardy, thrifty (very little winter 
feed needed), docile (some can be handled without smoke), happy with single 
brood box, good crops, low swarming, supersede (queens can live 3-4 
years)...
After last year's disastrous weather which wiped out our queen rearing 
programme, we are now back on track and hope to eliminate most of the 
'foreign' genes this year.

Best wishes
Peter Edwards
beekeepers at stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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