Bob wrote:
> Prolific is a must for those which keep bees for a living ...
I cannot understand why! I am currently raising queens from a DNA tested
pure A.m.m. queen (belonging to a friend). After the most appalling
spring - wet and cold all through May (when we usually take the best part of
our crop) the colony has the best part of 4 supers of honey, i.e. about
90lbs. The queen is three years old and the brood occupies just 7 British
National frames. Because the individual bees live longer there are plenty
of bees. The colony is very reasonably tempered and I had no difficulty in
handling it in cool conditions with light rain. I would be very happy if
all my colonies were headed by a queen like that!
I could also add that there are also commercial beekeepers in the UK making
a good living from A.m.m. colonies.
Best wishes
Peter Edwards
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www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/
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