> The Buckfast Bee has a reputation for producing a very cross cross.

Well Chris, it seems your statement about Buckfast bees rely on 
hearsay. After 20 years of using them I have the opposite experience. 
I have crossed Buckfast with different races and personally seen the 
result with hundreds of colonies.

It also seems many UK beekeepers engage in dissing one of the greatest 
bee breeders we had, instead of being proud of him. Can't figure that 
one out....

> The last time I was at Buckfast Abbey and saw bees working the garden
> flowers they seemed to be a good mix of colours so I suspect that
> they don't have Buckfast at Buckfast.

I'm afraid you haven't taken the time to learn what Buckfast bees 
really are. They are a mix of different races from the beginning. 
Those different races are kept at the Abbey and crossed with each 
other for evaluating the resulting offspring. When progress is made 
the *stable* cross is included into one of the main lines and used in 
apiaries around the world. So a mixed population at the Abbey would 
indicate that the work continues in good order. The genetic diversity 
is the key to Buckfast Bees, enhancing vigour and reducing the chance 
of inbreeding.

Regards
P-O

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