# Best Queen Suppliers?



## CoryM465 (Jan 26, 2016)

This thread is specifically about discussing different queen suppliers and trying to figure out which queen is est for me. I'll post another thread in the beekeeping 101 forum looking for advice on how to deal with these bees. Thanks!

A little quick back story. I'm going into my 2nd year as a beekeeper. I successfully made it through my first winter with the 2 hives went into winter with. I lost 3 to the drought/SHBs last summer. Split those 2 into 5 hives. 

I'm setup to keep 4 - 8 hives at my home in Madison, AL in a 1/2 subdivision lot. The rest are kept at a farm in Cullman, AL. 

I bought 10 hives from a gentleman in the Harvest, AL area yesterday that are by far the most aggressive bees I've ever dealt with. I've called the state inspector and I'm having them tested. 9 of the 10 are strong hives with at least 4 10 frame mediums. The 10th was a swarm catch from one of the hives. Even if they don't test positive I'm splitting and requeening. 

I'm looking for docile then disease/mite resistant mated queens that will work well in my area. Suggestions, please.

Here's a few suppliers I've identified, I certainly haven't narrowed my search to these, but I'm particularly interested in hearing experiences and opinions. Thanks.
Thoughts and Experience please?
Kelley Bees Italian Queens?
Lookout Mountain Honey Bees?
The Honey & Bee Connection?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

You might want to consider adding Broke-T to your list ....
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...ueens&p=1538636&highlight=broke-t#post1538636

... if you can deal with early May availability. I have not personally bought his queens, but I have seen lots of favorable reports on Beesource.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

This probably should come under the "all beekeeping is local" header.

So far our best queens trace back to one local apiary where the beekeeper has been systematically trying to come up with a locally-adapted breed that deals with mites pretty well on their own, but which is still a good honey producer. His line started with VSH queens originally from Glenn Apiaries. We find them to be exceptionally gentle, though they can be provoked if you work at it.

We started with a daughter of one of his queens. She's still going strong after three years. We bought another queen from him directly last June. She seems to be doing well. But his production is small-scale, and if you want a queen you'd better sign up months ahead of time. He does not advertise. His bees are well-thought-of locally.

VPQueens has a similar line, and I'm told they're very good. http://vpqueenbees.com/

Glenn Apiaries has a number of producers of their general line of VSH bees, and you may do well to check their map for one nearer to you. http://www.glenn-apiaries.com/bee_supply_companies.html


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## tpope (Mar 1, 2015)

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?334035


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## CoryM465 (Jan 26, 2016)

Thank y'all for the suggestions and links! 

So after reading all of that I'm thinking I'll go with a combination form Broke T Queens, VP Queens, and Ridge Top.


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## John Davis (Apr 29, 2014)

FYI
VP Queens sells breeder queens which unless you are raising queens to sell are probably not what you are looking for. The genetics are good and they are II (Instrumentally inseminated).
Johnny Thompson at Broke T uses them to produce his open mated queens queens I believe.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

VP Queens prices for _breeder queens_ start at $200 *each*. 
http://vpqueenbees.com/buy/vsh-breeder-queens

But VP does publish a list of their customers who buy VP breeder queens and offer their daughters for sale as production queens:
http://vpqueenbees.com/buy/production-queens
Typically production queens are sold at a _fraction_ of the going rate for breeder queens. AFAIK VP does not normally sell production queens themselves.


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## McBee7 (Dec 25, 2013)

Gentile bees can be a "relative" term. I think mine are a bit rough around the edges but during a flow I love them,, and I'm sure to a Texan an owley bee is probably "African"
I think gentile is also relative to a keepers experience....And until you've been hit a few hundred times from a collection of hives "gentile" may be a little skewed. I'm sure at the end of the 2017 season with 10 plus hives of various linage you'll feel different about gentile bees...I say this from personal experience. By year 3 (for me) I came to know that gentile bees has a lot more to do with weather/skunks/ dogs/ smoke (or lack there of) /protection/ ect. than it has to do with breed of bees...JMHO.. 

==McBee7==


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

>> Gentile bees can be a "relative" term.

Yes. But gentile bees are a bit of an odd concept. 

gen·tile
ˈjentīl
adjective
1. not Jewish.
"Christianity spread from Jewish into Gentile cultures"


A unnamed Beesource member has an interesting signature line ... 


> Let's Eat Grandmaw ........... Let's Eat, Grandmaw.......Grammar Saves Lives


Not _exactly_ the same situation, but amusing nonetheless.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

http://www.carpentersapiaries.com/home.html

Carpenter Apiaries may be the ticket for you. He's located in Florida, so local to the South-East regions. He raises mite hygienic bees, based more on the Italian strain, and calm. He has not treated for Varroa since 2005, I think that's what his website says. You might give him a call and chat with him a bit.


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## McBee7 (Dec 25, 2013)

WELL.....
If we can Artificially Inseminate Queen bees, I don't see why we cant circumcise the drones, to be a sign of the gentle nature of the chosen race which even beginning beekeepers seek for their apiaries .....

==McBee7==

ps--only infidels and barbarians would eat Gamma


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## Son of Pete (Feb 18, 2017)

Uncle Buck said that he could circumcise a gnat, so a drone should be no problem......


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## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

How about Dan Harvey from Olympic Wilderness Apiary? http://www.wildernessbees.com/

16 YEARS NO CHEMICAL MITICIDES - 8 YEARS NO FUMAGILLIN : Mite resistant, nosema tolerant, and deals with our cold/wet weather.

My experience outside of his queens is limited, but when everyone here was complaining about how bad the unusually harsh winter wrecked their bee yards. Mine all made it, and all (at that time) were from Dan. Not only was the winter very harsh, I neglected to provide winter feed, and any form of any treatments. By all rights, I left them to fend for themselves completely.

While I can't speak of the quality of VP Queen's yet, Adam has already gone above and beyond helping me figure out some things regarding instrumental insemination. I placed my order from Adam this last week, I am eager to see how she does up here.

Likewise with Sue Colby, I can't speak of her queens yet, but again above and beyond answering questions. I hope to bring some of her stock back with me next month.


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## Richard Cryberg (May 24, 2013)

CoryM465 said:


> This thread is specifically about discussing different queen suppliers and trying to figure out which queen is est for me. I'll post another thread in the beekeeping 101 forum looking for advice on how to deal with these bees. Thanks!
> 
> A little quick back story. I'm going into my 2nd year as a beekeeper. I successfully made it through my first winter with the 2 hives went into winter with. I lost 3 to the drought/SHBs last summer. Split those 2 into 5 hives.
> 
> ...


I have gotten Minnesota Hygienic queens from Georgia Bee Supply and was very happy with their product. Very nice people to work with. Routinely work them wearing a tee shirt. Not very swarmy. Winter well in Ohio. Only fair honey producers, but better than VSH. Decently mite resistant in a world where nothing is even close bullet proof when it comes to mites.


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## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

Son of Pete said:


> Uncle Buck said that he could circumcise a gnat, so a drone should be no problem......


Interesting first post... Welcome.

We are not all gentile, nor are all of our bees gentle, but we can choose to be genteel.


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