Thank you, Charles.  Appreciate the thoughtful response.  Was what I was hoping for.


Not a problem,  open discussion is great.   There is some variability from year to year, supplier to supplier of queen quality,  there is no doubt about that.  Some weeks weather is great and queens mate well, others cold snaps mess things up.  But its no different for locals queens,  some years you can get them early  some years you get them very late,  or they are poor quality.  

I myself got queens from a producer last year  that 90% failed in the first 3 weeks.  VERY unusual.  Just like cars,  sometimes its all great,  sometimes there are some issues.  But just like cars, overall the quality is been good and on the rise.

MP is a personal irritant of mine. I personally find him very difficult to listen to,  because he spends so much time badmouthing others.  His lectures sound like nagging not helpful.  In my personal life I make it a point to avoid those personality types. 

The other irritant from him is what he leaves out of his discussions.  For several years he bragged on overwintered nucs,  without mentioning the fact they are really vertical singles,  8-10 frames.  Not so magic when you put it that way.

And last,  he is one of a few voices, obviously he has worked out what works well for him there,  and has some good methods.  His "magic" though is much more simple, strong healthy bees, wintered in a vertical configuration.  When you put it that way its not so mystical. He treats, he feeds  just like the other 1200 commercial guys who run as many if not more,  but are not on the lecture circuit.

Many of those use and buy packages all the time,  there are another 800 or so in the Provinces who would like the same option,  and to your point,  should they find out the quality is not as good as the NZ bees,  they will go back to them.  As you point out,  its about value in the end.  

Charles

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