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Comment by Carol Matie Flowers on January 27, 2013 at 7:57pm

I would love to carpool to Ken Hayes' seminar.  When is it and does anyone plan to drive?

Comment by Paul McCarty on January 27, 2013 at 4:38pm

Well, seeing as such my bees are nearby, and several other people with hives of my bees are nearby, I would assume you will end up with a cross from my wild dark bees or my Russian/Carnies. They pretty much saturate this town - except during the Apple bloom-out. Several of these orchard ship in bees from elsewhere. Who knows what they are?

A couple have asked me to do it for them, but I don't do pollination like that.

Comment by Diana Calkins on January 27, 2013 at 2:45pm

Thanks for the descriptions and info, Paul.  Perhaps others in our area who are looking for bees this year will give your bees a try. 

I've been very fortunate with my BeeWeavers.  They have been very docile and we've not had to feed them yet.  We are assuming that they will need to be split or swarm this spring.  It will be interesting to see what the young queen will turn out like.  I wonder whose drones she will breed with???  ;)

Comment by Paul McCarty on January 27, 2013 at 2:31pm

Well, I have several personal strains I have been working on. The two main strains are: Russian/Carnie bred with wild bees. The other is an all wild, dark bee, back-bred with Carnie drones.

I also have some standard domestic Italians/Cordovans in the desert, that I will also need to split. And I have some darkish bees (some breed of Black Bee I am pretty sure) that I have collected in the high mountains around here. They are quite mean, and I am sure you don't want them unless you need them as yard guards.

Temperament wise - the Russian/Carnie cross is the most docile. They are heavy on the Carnie. The other wild strain is really great for honey, but can be a bit testy. Very similar to Beeweavers in my opinion. Basically a generic survivor bee. They were making honey for me well into fall. I did not harvest in fall, but will be harvesting in Late Winter. My best hive was one of this strain, and produced nearly 2 dozen deep frames of honey along with a 16 frame brood-nest in the long-hive they were in up here in the mountains. Very hardy bees. I very rarely fed them, and haven't ever treated them for anything. I have had this strain of bees the longest of all my bees.

I test them at OSU for African genetics.

When African genetics show up - they get taken to the desert and get a new queen - though the AHB genetics for NM in general is quite watered down in my opinion unless you live near the border in the desert. It's just too cool here most of the time I suspect, and the mountains can be quite wet.

You are free to come over and work with them anytime you want to see if they are something you might like.

Comment by Diana Calkins on January 27, 2013 at 11:28am

Will keep that in mind, Paul.  What are their genetics?  How is their honey production?  Gentle or AHB influenced?  Thanks for the heads up on the Willow on Cottonwoods, too!  :)

Comment by Paul McCarty on January 27, 2013 at 11:25am

If you want REALLY local bees, I am sure I will have some to split. I have some that need no treatment and barely need feeding. Going on their third season. Why import non-mountain bees?

Comment by Paul McCarty on January 27, 2013 at 11:18am

By the way - you Sacramento Mountain People... the Willow Trees and Cottonwoods should be blooming out in the next month and a half. Be ready for swarm control early!

Comment by Rob Shepler on January 27, 2013 at 10:51am

James I met him for the first time yesterday, sounds like a great guy and a great beekeeper! He had good things to say about you.

Comment by Diana Calkins on January 27, 2013 at 10:02am

I'm up for a carpool to Ken Hayes' seminar.  The only time I won't be available is April 26, 27 & 28 and again for one weekend in March.  Don't know the March dates yet.

Comment by James H DAWDY on January 27, 2013 at 9:30am

I am ordering two packages from Beeweaver for pickup in Roswell on March 30.  They're $150 each.  I'm also getting a couple of nucs from Aurelio Paez in Anthony.

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