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/ -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---