Paul said:

> Where can I buy a package Carniolan with a marked queen?
> I plan to start keeping a hive of bees in my backyard in
> Brooklyn,NY in April and want to stock the hive with Carniolan bees.

Well, first off it is late March, and the package suppliers
are likely booked up through May.  As you are talking about
"only one", you may be able to find a supplier who will
bend over backwards for a new beekeeper. But in general,
package orders are a "January" thing.  Phone and e-mail
around, and you might get lucky.

A much better idea would be to find a local beekeeper willing
to install a nucleus into your woodenware.  I assume that you
lack drawn comb.  A split or nuc will have some number (3-4)
frames of drawn comb, which is a big advantage for a new hive.

It is NOT too late to find someone to sell you a nucleus.
Your best bet is a local beekeeping club, but you can take
your complete hive, have the beekeeper help you "install"
the nuc in your gear, help you seal up the hive for transport,
and transport a nuc for a few hours' drive with ease.
See http://www.beeculture.com/beeculture/who/who_2002.htm
for what may be the most up-to-date list of clubs, but if
all else fails, post your name and town here, and you may
find a nearby kindred spirit.

> I plan to follow the advice I read on the Internet on
> "George's Pink Pages"

From your reference to George Imire (who I think of as "the
Karl Marx of hobby beekeeping", but whom would likely rather
prefer to be compared to Thomas Jefferson) I assume that you
are looking for specific breed "New World Carniolans".

No supplier of NWCs currently offers packages.  If you want
an "NWC package", you must order a queenless package, and
order the NWC queen to arrive at or near the same date.

> which recommends replacing the queen every September

OK, so don't worry about what kind of bees until September.
Get a nucleus, and replace the queen later.  If you are just
starting, you will be focusing on "basics" this first spring
and summer anyway, and the breed of bees is a minor detail.

If your goal is to use NWCs, re-queen this summer or fall
with a NWC queen.

Welcome to the club!

                jim

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