# Russell Carniolan Queens



## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

I'm interested in getting some Russell's Carniolan Queens for 2012 and I've read their webpage, but I was wondering if anyone has any comments/feedback on Russell's Carniolan Queens. I'm back in Farmington, NM and I welcome all feedback, but like to hear from Rocky Mountain area beekeeps who have used or still use these queens.

Thanks,
Greg


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## BigDru (Aug 4, 2009)

Got 3 of Russell's queens this year. They were slow to get them to me (took 3 months), poor customer service at the time, but after introducing them they performed wonderfully. 2 of the hives were failing and ended up producing 2 supers of honey. 

I have to say, Dispite the length and diffculty getting my queens, I would use Russell again. Queens out preformed any other queen I've got yet.


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## Bradley_Bee (May 21, 2008)

I can't find their webpage.


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## Bradley_Bee (May 21, 2008)

ok I found it. 38.00 bucks for a queen. ? I'm not buying it.


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## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

Where do you see them for $38.00 a queen? I see them for $22.00.

http://russellapiaries.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1893151


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

The carnies are not that price, around 22 I think. They do not cage when the queens start laying but catch and cage as the orders come in. You get a good fresh queen but you may not get it the day you requested. This year they had tornadoes, floods and other calamites and got behind on shipments. They are new at offering their queens to hobbyists and i hope the extra trouble dealing with small orders doesn't make them decide to go back to just shipping large quantity orders.


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## bhfury (Nov 25, 2008)

So, Vance G....would you recommend them?


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

You will not, in my opinion, and experience find anyone any better, anywhere. Last year Dr. Russells dad died. They had tornados, and floods which really set back their very large operations. They have struggled with the weight of the numbers of orders. They will only get better. They will only ship a quality product. I just requeened 9 hives with SKC queens at $38.00 each. So far the best money I've ever spent at beekeeping. They are simply great, so far. Remember you pay for what you get, and get what you pay for. Dr. Russell will advise you on ways to do things when he can find time. I very highly recommend them and their products. Good luck!!


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

I would recommend them. I like their bees. But, they will drive you crazy a portion of the time waiting for your bees and they are not staffed to have someone take calls to make excuses. So If you can only install queens between hard scheduled trips and obligations, don't order from them, you may go crazy or have to make a contingency plan for someone else to recieve and install your queens. They cannot control the weather and do not take laying queens and cram them in little boxes ahead of time so they can fill your order on a day it is storming. They pull queens to fill orders which takes that scheduling cushion away from them. There genetics are first rate, but shipping is controlled by weather and events. It is called farming.


bhfury said:


> So, Vance G....would you recommend them?


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I ordered a Russell carni for a friend earlier this year, and two other Russell varieties for myself and while they were all extremely nice, well grown and prolific - the carni was huge to my eyes.

Would you rather wait a while for top quality or get your lackluster queen shipped the day you place your order?


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

I needed 2 queens in a hurry about 2 weeks ago. They shipped them out within hours of my order. The post office then proceeded to send them all over the place before I got them 5 days later (priority mail). I was panicked but Dr. Russell kept in contact with me the whole time on this forum and even scheduled me for replacements without me asking. I was really impressed by their customer service for such a small order.


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## ginn68 (Apr 14, 2010)

I'm ruining two of the Russell carni's. Great line. I also have skc, sunkist, and pollinator. I loved the skc line so much I ordered a breeder to graft from next year. For this year the pollinator is the top performer and very very calm.

As for Robert, you couldn't ask for someone better. He is really out to help and develop all beeks


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

Let me give some that want to order from Russell Apiaries a little advice. If you want to order from them go to their website. place your order, and pay thru Pay Pal. That is the way they do business. When your order is shipped it is shipped thru Pay Pal shipping. They get very good rates by doing lots of business with Pay Pal. Email and phoning just doesn't work, they are just simply too busy for very many personal dealings, Dr. Russell likes to help the public on beesource and his own forum. By the time he posts for the public and runs his business (which is at any given time several thousand hives and/or nucs of several differient configurations) I'm guessing that he doesn't have a lot of time for the life his wife wants him to have. She is married to a BeeMan:applause: with a lot of knowledge and large business that only intends to ship only a very high quality product. I personally cannot say it enough. Thank You Dr. Russell for all that you do!!!!!


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

I have looked into many queen producers and Russell Apiaries always seems to outshine everyone else when doing a comparison. Next season I'm going to order 2 carni queens from him and maybe a sunkist queen (if she can survive our winters). The other thing is he never has harsh words on the forums and is generally a helpful guy. Personality and helpfulness was also a consideration. His business and family history with bees convinced me that when I buy queens, they are going to be from him. I've never done business with him but plan on it.


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## arcowandbeegirl (Oct 11, 2010)

I purchased a Russell Italian queen earlier this year. While I did have to wait a while, which I understand. I have been very pleased with the queen. Would like to try other breeds from him next year.


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## Lost Bee (Oct 9, 2011)

I really like the color of that Russell carniolan queen on his site.
It doesn't seem to have yellow stripes unlike others that I've seen
being sold. I have a feeling lots of carniolans being sold by others 
have italian or other yellow bee blood in them. 

I really hope they ship to Canada, cause that brownish-grey carniolan 
bee of his would be the bee knees for me. I see it mentions Slovenia as 
part of it's genetic makeup. Do you know that only carniolan bees are 
allowed in that country. Other bee types are banned and not allowed. 
I hope a swarm flies to me soon. 

If anyone knows their shipping policies let me know. I emailed them 
to see if they ship to Canada and I don't know if they received it yet.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Sorry lostbee... we are not shipping to Canada in 2011 and may not be in 2012... I hate it, but the border issues have only allowed certain California breeders to import and the import fees have gotten so high that it has limited even some of those... that may not be the case in 2012, but we will not know until the season gets closer...


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## Lost Bee (Oct 9, 2011)

So much for the free trade agreement between our Countries. You would 
think the Canadian and United States border would allow easier access to 
anything that relates to food production. We fight wars on the same side
don't we? I am not blaming you Mr. Russell, it's the governement politics 
again trying to keep the little guy down.

I can see honey bee smugglers already making the headlines. 

Oh well, I emailed the provincial apiarist in charge about importing 
abroad and hopefully he can let me know more about the process.

Ok, thanks for the reply Mr. Russell and I hope
things change in the future for all our sakes.


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## Pepper1079 (May 21, 2000)

MR. Russell,
Are your Carnies of the New World type?


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