# Has anyone tried BeeWeaver's Buckfast queens?



## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Hello all,
I was looking at requeening a couple hives, and I'm asking for opinions on the Buckfast queens that BeeWeaver sells. Please post you opinion/experience here. Thanks in advance!


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

I have two 3 lb packages from there, April 2012. They both are working well, now into the 2rd super. Calm, no mites or shb ( from casual inspection).My other hive is a 3 lb package from CA. Very slow, looking for a new queen now. In truth one BWeaver package was mishandled by them, the post office or me, 2/3 dead bees. It was replaced promptly at no charge. Would highly recommend them.:applause: for BWeaver.


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## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

BeeWeaver has intergrated their buckfasts into their BeeWeaver breed. R.Weaver carries what is called a buckfast.
They even consider it a subtype of buckfasts, because they haven't had any new influx of buckfast blood in years.
An R.Weaver buckfast so to say. According to Clint W.

Are you talking about BeeWeaver or R.Weaver apiaries?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Steven Ogborn said:


> Are you talking about BeeWeaver or R.Weaver apiaries?


B Weaver


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Try a search. There have been many discussions on the question.


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## bhansen (May 2, 2012)

Benjamin,

I ordered 5 queens from them in July and made some splits with them to try them out. They have built up very fast. Three of them are in 5 frame nucs double stacked. The other two have been switched to 10 frame deep boxes with a second box added. The temperment has been pretty good. Sometimes I don't use smoke on them depends on weather. BWeaver was great to deal with. If they over winter good here in northern Wisconsin I will order more next year.

Hope this helps


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

If you buy "Buckfast" stock from Ferguson in Ontario, you'll have bees that are closer to actual Buckfast than the Texas variety.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Michael Palmer said:


> If you buy "Buckfast" stock from Ferguson in Ontario, you'll have bees that are closer to actual Buckfast than the Texas variety.


You can get this strain from Dave Miksa in Florida too.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

camero7 said:


> You can get this strain from Dave Miksa in Florida too.


What's the minimum quantity of queens or cells that Miksa ships?


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Believe it's one for anything. But not very cost effective for cells since they are shipped overnight UPS and it's pretty costly. If you're going to order mated queens get your order in early, he fills up quickly


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

camero7 said:


> Believe it's one for anything.


Really, I thought he was strictly dealing in large quantities. How many breeds/lines does he have?


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Not sure, but he has his own Italians, the Furgeson line, Olympic [Russian], Latshaw Italians and Carni's, Pol-Line, Glenn Carni's. Maybe a couple more.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Michael Palmer said:


> If you buy "Buckfast" stock from Ferguson in Ontario, you'll have bees that are closer to actual Buckfast than the Texas variety.


I imported 10 queens from Ferguson in late July, which I have created my nucs with. So far, they seem really great. I have some booming nucs. Bill and his family have been very good to deal with as well.

Adam


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Ben, I installed two Rweaver Buckfast queens about six weeks ago. About two weeks ago, one of the Buckfast queens flew out of my hand while I was marking her and the other is doing about as well as my home grown queen from my Italian/Carniolan queen, open mated with the drones in my area (that means she is doing well). I've installed two queens from BeewWeaver this past week. Both Weavers were fine to deal with and the shipping was quick.

The Buckfast queens have not so far produced overly defensive bees, I work them with smoke, a jacket, shorts and bare hands. The Weaver's are just about 150 miles away from me, so they (bees) are adapted pretty well for my area.

BeeWeaver sells survivor queens cross bred with the remnants of their old bee lines and the VSH queens out of the LA bee lab.....with no treatments since 2001. RWeaver still sells many lines of queens.


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## SRBrooks (Jun 24, 2012)

I'm new to beekeeping as of last April, and started with B Weavers. Really gentle, and the hive looks to have tripled in size. I'm entirely pleased, and will order 2 more packages in 2013.


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## Monie (Feb 13, 2008)

Yep. Got my first and last from them a few years back. Hottest bunch of brood I ever got. Sticking with Strachan Varnish. Gentle as heck. A real joy to work with


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## Monie (Feb 13, 2008)

*Carnis

Sorry ..auto correct on the phone is a pain sometimes


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