Bob wrote:

> Prolific is a must for those which keep bees for a living ...

I cannot understand why!  I am currently raising queens from a DNA tested 
pure A.m.m. queen (belonging to a friend).  After the most appalling 
spring - wet and cold all through May (when we usually take the best part of 
our crop) the colony has the best part of 4 supers of honey, i.e. about 
90lbs.  The queen is three years old and the brood occupies just 7 British 
National frames.  Because the individual bees live longer there are plenty 
of bees.  The colony is very reasonably tempered and I had no difficulty in 
handling it in cool conditions with light rain.  I would be very happy if 
all my colonies were headed by a queen like that!

I could also add that there are also commercial beekeepers in the UK making 
a good living from A.m.m. colonies.

Best wishes

Peter Edwards
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/ 

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