On Mon, 2 Sep 1996, Brian Gant wrote:
 
> Peter Donovan, who worked closely with Br Adam at Buckfast Abbey, has asked
> me to pass on the message that Br Adam died on September 1, aged 98.
> Brian Gant
 
Having read the above post about Br Adam, I just thought I would write
about my  experience with his wonderful bees as a way of tribute.
 
I purchased, this spring, a 5 frame nuc from Paul Montox down in
Hagarsville, Ontario after observing several Buckfast colonies owned
by a fellow Bee-Liner, and member of our Niagara Peninsula Beekeepers
Association, Stoddard Jones. Having seen how gentle they were with
Stoddard, my brother and I both decided to buy a colony.  Simply put, they
are a joy to own and work.....I typically go out to check them and wear
only a pair of short pants and a tee shirt...no veil even!..
A little smoke and I can do almost anything with them....I notice a
distinct difference in their attitude from my other "Italian" bees.
With Italian's, I always wear the complete outfit, as I am new to
beekeeping and haven't got up the nerve to wear just the veil.  But with
the Buckfasts,  its entirely different.  I have only had a very rare guard
bee buzz me a few times and that was on a cloudy day after much working.
They are truly unbelievable!....Also, the queen lays like crazy...In a
matter of weeks, i had to add another brood box, and my brother has 2
supers of honey already....my bees are in a not-so-good place.  I have
since made another 4-frame nuc, and that one is in my backyard, also with
a second brood box....( I wrote into this list awhile ago about the
problems of emergency queens...I found her..and she is a little small,
but otherwise, she looks quite good..:)
 
Another thing about their behavior; when you open up a regular, Italian
hive, at least mine, the workers "Look" at you....but when I open up my
Buckfasts, its as if they "couldn't care less"....its like I'm not even
there...:)
 
Anyways, thats all...Im saddened by the news of Br Adam's death, but
thankful for his long life and his significant contribution to Beekeeping.
 
Rest in peace, Br Adam...
 
 
                          Ian Watson
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