Bees & Queens

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Queen Bees and 5 Frame Nuclei
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I have been breeding bees for more than 20 years during which time I have made 3 attempts at "Monostraining". Whilst some degree of success has been enjoyed, I have never been fully satisfied by the results.

As I get older and less able, (I am now disabled), I wish to attempt this again. However, this time I hope that I am more knowledgeable and that I have learned from the many mistakes that I have previously made.

A few photographs... (there are not many on this site).

These bees are Yellow, Too Yellow for my liking. Can you see the eggs in the bottom of the cells?

This picture shows a bee of darker colouring, but there is still a trace of yellow.

Traces of yellow are not in themselves bad if the temper of the bee is OK (but watch out for stinginess in first crosses!)

These Drones show two completely different races the yellow one on the left is of Italian or New Zealand type.

Whilst the one on the right is much darker, smoother and slightly smaller. (To my eyes much prettier as well.)

This frame contains queen cells produced using Jenter cell plugs sunk into tapered recesses in the cell bars. The cells were grafted rather than using the Jenter cell plug cage.

Definition is not good... I will find a better picture soon.
This is a frame from a kirchhain nuc that was taken by Francis Ratnieks. The bees are "Laeso bees" and it is bees of this type that I aspire to breed.

The picture (or one very similar to it appeared on the cover of issue No. 3 of "Bee Improvement" magazine.)

Written... May 2000, Revised... 03 October 2001, Revised... 10 March 2002, Amended... 21 June 2002, Revised... 01 February 2003,