Peter Borst quoted from the Buckfast Abbey website:
> Soon after Br. Adam joined Brother Columban, thirty out of the Abbey's
> forty-six colonies were wiped out by a disease known as Acarine. All of
> the bees that > died were of the native British black bee variety.
We should remember that although many died, many colonies of native black
bees survived - and are still doing very well - something that Brother Adam
failed to recognise.
I was also interested to note from the website that in 2004 they produced
'over four tons' of honey were produced from 240 colonies. Even if that was
four and a half tons, 10080lbs from 240 colonies is only 42 lbs per colony -
not much of a recommendation for the Buckfast bee?
Best wishes
Peter Edwards
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www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/
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