# Any opinions of VP Queens?



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

I'm at a loss, What's a VP queen? Jack


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

brooksbeefarm said:


> I'm at a loss, What's a VP queen? Jack


 
I guess you don't have experience with them....

http://www.vpqueenbees.com/index.html


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

And it looks like nobody else has either. Jack


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

brooksbeefarm said:


> And it looks like nobody else has either. Jack


The only person I know of is Jim Fischer, and he speaks highly of them. 

I was looking for additional references. Adam F. Is an active member of this forum.


----------



## tonyp (Mar 16, 2008)

I hope you get the answer you're looking for I was wondering about the allegro line myself.


----------



## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Generally speaking I'm skeptical of buying from stock that has been breed to maintain their "survivor" genetics, so to speak. It's very difficult to standardize, quantify, validate, or authenticate if a queen is a 'survivor', or which one is a better 'survivor' than the next. It's easy to see the MH traits when you buy a queen, or the increased honey production from another strain, but how do you see the 'survivor' traits? Wait until your bees don't leave?

That being said, I always like to keep my ears open to hearing good things about new stock, whatever the genetics.


----------



## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

I have talked to Adam on the phone, "Allegro" is their version of Italian. 
Their website address is: http://www.vpqueenbees.com/


----------



## olddrown (Oct 28, 2009)

BeeCurious said:


> I would like to hear from members who have experience with "VP Queens" .
> 
> I'd also be interested in knowing how the VP queen-daughters performed.


I have the Spartans that are doing very good.Didn't treat at all in the fall,and will not treat.Mite count was low.Very genita, queen's had a great brood pattern.


----------



## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

brooksbeefarm said:


> And it looks like nobody else has either. Jack


Jeez.. just because noone replied in 2 hours?
I think you can search and see that folks are very happy with them myself included. They have spoken several times at EAS and are featured in a few articles in ABJ. For for those in the know, one of these queens live at a very special home which speaks for itself. 

I have a couple of 2nd year daughters or grandaughterse from 2008 queens that are strong performers and essentially mite free, (although I do use powdered sugar dusting as prevention).


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

*I found a VP Queen*

I found a VP Queen... 

She's in this hive:










http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=646

http://www.vpqueenbees.com/index.html


----------



## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

I bought six queens form them last May. Three of each line. All six built up into strong enough hives to produce around seventy pounds of surplus honey. They were very gentle and calm on the comb when worked. Produced beautiful comb with minimal propollis. All showed excellent varroa resistance. All six went into winter well stocked with honey and pollen. And so far all are still alive. As of this date I would rate them A++. I plan on using any survivors to produce daughter queens. They have greatly benefited my genetic diversity in my quest to be varroa and tracheal treatment free.
VP queens were great to deal with and delivered as promised. They are just what the beekeeping industry needs for breeding better bees.


----------



## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

*Re: I found a VP Queen*



BeeCurious said:


> I found a VP Queen...
> 
> She's in this hive:


The queen in this hive is not a VP queen. It is one of Charlie Brandt's own. 
We've been working with Charlie over the year and I'll tell you it has been really fun 
to work with him in this setting! 

Thanks for the feedback--it really is kind!

Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


----------



## SamG347 (Oct 17, 2009)

I will be getting a VP Spartan queen or two this spring...can't wait for the order info to get here Adam :thumbsup:


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

*Re: I found a VP Queen*



adamf said:


> Thanks for the feedback--it really is kind!
> 
> Adam Finkelstein


Hi Adam,

I sat in on a couple of Jim Fischer's beekeeping classes in NYC last winter and he mentioned your queens. 

How would you best describe your two lines in respect to the commonly known races. 

Joe


----------



## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

*Re: I found a VP Queen*



BeeCurious said:


> Hi Adam,
> I sat in on a couple of Jim Fischer's beekeeping classes in NYC last winter and he mentioned your queens.
> How would you best describe your two lines in respect to the commonly known races. Joe


Hi Joe and other folks,
The main difference between our two "lines" (or phenotypes) we produce from our breeding population is the fashion 
in which the queens build-up and cluster-down for over-Wintering.

Our Allegro builds up quickly in the Spring (or when there is newly available pollen and feed) 
whereas the Spartan builds more slowly.

Our Spartan stores more in the broodnest in the Fall and forms 
a tighter cluster over-Winter than the Allegro. 

*However:* sometimes the lines act like the other and sometimes like neither--
there is SO much variation in heredity that only broad classifications are accurate.
I enjoy working both of our lines and our customers are split 50/50 between ordering the two.

Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


----------



## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

*Re: I found a VP Queen*



adamf said:


> The queen in this hive is not a VP queen. It is one of Charlie Brandt's own. [/url]


THANKS VP QUEENS.

And also big Thanks to Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), Dr. Rick Fell and the Prince William Regional Beekeepers for helping Charlie have the opportunities to learn queen rearing.


----------



## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

So, the Allegro are NWC and Spartan are Italians. Or is that too simplified?


----------



## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

heaflaw said:


> So, the Allegro are NWC and Spartan are Italians. Or is that too simplified?


heaflaw,
point your browser to:

www.vpqueenbees.com/breeding.html
This will give you a short history of what we're having fun with...



Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


----------



## heaflaw (Feb 26, 2007)

Looks like you guys know what you are doing. Looks like extremely interesting work. I envy you.


----------



## Jeff McGuire (Nov 18, 2005)

I bought 3 queens from them in 2008 and still going strong made several splits letting them raise daughters and all doig well so far. They were described differently then but all have produced good honey crops and need nothing more from me than sugar dusting to control varroa which I do to all my hives.


----------



## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

I will be getting a few of Adam's "Spartan" virgins this Summer.

I hope they get introduced to some of the sons, grandsons, and great grandsons of Charlie Harper's Russians that went to the trees. Most of my "Palmer" queens are still in boxes... 

Are there any more recent comments concerning VP Queens?


----------



## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

Got a 2year old and a 3 year old still with me. USed one as a breeder mama last year

CHeck out recent news coverage on them here- Front page color photo of the Washington Post-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-search-of-a-better-bee/2011/11/07/gIQA5e3RLP_story.html


----------

