# Sources for Cordovan Queens?



## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Before anyone advises me that breeding for a particular color is counter productive I will tell you why. 

Soon in my queen rearing experiments I will want to produce my own drones for open breeding. Since the cordovan color is only expressed from a mating of a queen with the gene and a cordovan drone, and since a cordovan queen produces 100% cordovan drones - If I breed from cordovan queens, and use drone hives that are headed by cordovan queens I should be better able to estimate how often my queens mate with my drones by counting cordovan workers. That should give some idea of how placement of drone hives and mating nucs works. So, the cordovan color is a learning tool.

And it looks cool.

But I still want to produce good quality/not-inbred queens.

And to kick off the list - Russell Apiaries - The source of the ones I have used as breeders so far.


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

I have a couple from Mike's Bees in Ohio.They outproduce my mutts two to one.It may be a coincidence but you would have a hard time convincing me that Cordovans are "counterproductive".I plan to add some from other sources this spring in order to broaden the gene pool.
And yes,I do know that cordovan is just a color of Italians but then I favor Italians so whats not to like?

edited to add the link....www.mikesbeesandhoney.com


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

I have bought from Chris McCary before, they were nice queens.

Chris McCary
McCary Apiaries
31 Rosie McCary Dr.
Buckatunna, MS 39322
601-648-2747
601-648-2224
Certification Date: 6/14/11

Johnny


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## thomas (Apr 23, 2006)

I get mine from C F koehnen in California they have very good queens and they are very easy to work.


www.koehnen.com


Thomas Yancey


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## valleyman (Nov 24, 2009)

David, 
I understand your thinking and will be interested to know the results of your test. But from what I understand Russell has several lineages of cordovans. I wouldn't think you have all of them yet or do you?


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I'll be getting some more Russel queens for sure. My strongest hives are headed by them - the very strongest right now has a R VSH queen.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Also I want to use a breeder from a completely different line to make sure that results aren't skewed by some natural mechanism to prevent inbreeding.


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## JBees (Feb 9, 2010)

Shamrocks Bees out of Atwater, California has Cordovans.

http://shamrocksbees.com/bees-online-shopping.php?pid=3&#x


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

II breeders here: http://www.glenn-apiaries.com/cordovan.html


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

I'd be willing to bet that many of the folks listed above get them from Glenn. I will be getting my cordovan breeder from them in April.
Mike


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## ginn68 (Apr 14, 2010)

Thomas:

Are you running any of the Koehnen queens? If so, how is the performance?

MG


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## BillyH (Apr 19, 2010)

C F Koehnen & Sons, Inc 


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


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## the doc (Mar 3, 2010)

i have both the carni and italian codovans from koehnens. THey all produced 2 mediums of honey after building up from packages! THe italians were very heavy layers, quite impressive populations, but needed more feeding in prep for winter during low flow. The hybrids were better in terms of smaller cluster and high honey production in a smaller overall bee population


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