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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Rip Bechmann <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 30 Sep 2005 10:57:37 -0400
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>>>>...Lloyd mentioned that the Hastings of the time were prone to
aggression and heavy with propolis...<<<<

I can't speak for anyone else, but that was not my experience, in fact I
was always amazed at how little propolis they used.  They "glued" and
"filled"as much as any other hive, but it was mostly wax with only a
"tad" of propolis.

FWIIW, I should mention that, prior to his Carniolans bees,  Hastings had
had a "famous"/"popular/wellknown" strain of Caucasian bees .  He
apparently also sold breeder queens from them as well.  It is my
understanding that there was no connection between the two "breeds" but I
seem to recall that his Caucasians played a major role in Bud Cale's
Midnite program.  I don't know if his Carniolans's played any part in the
Bud's Midnites.  Calling "Dr. Larry", are you out there in the "lurkers"
somewhere?  As Bud's "right-hand-man", I/we could use your input for the
record.

Again, FWIIW, my understanding is that, the Midnites were a three way
cross, while the Starlines were a four way cross.  All four of the
Starline line's were based on "Italians", but the Midnites had two lines
based on "Caucasian" lines and one a "Carniolan" line.

All just so much ancient history today but interesting, at least to me,
none the less.  Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat
the past.  That certainly applies to beekeepers, they are very big on
"reinventing the wheel" but unfortunately most of the "new wheels" are
"retreads" of old "square" ones.  "Al-a-men-e-um" laminated foundation to
plastic laminated foundation to plastic foundation to plastic frames is a
questionable progression from a biological standpoint but certainly makes
some sense from a commercial one, provided the BK really understands the
conditions needed by bees to draw any comb, let alone foundation.  Hive
bodies made from metal to plastic to fiberglass/plastic to Styrofoam are
another matter, fortunately these have largely passed, each in their
turn, may the gods be praised.  For the record I have seen aluminum,
galvanized and stainless steel supers, all with or without insulation and
all a major pain to go through for the "nonbeliever".  But then I
digressed several paragraphs ago, my apologies to all.

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