tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post3823179222907197472..comments2024-01-27T02:01:24.039-05:00Comments on Happy Hour at the Top Bar: Why Use Local Queens?Julie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-75978007707213209462015-06-02T16:04:37.567-04:002015-06-02T16:04:37.567-04:00Thanks for those insightful comments! If I can avo...Thanks for those insightful comments! If I can avoid it, I don't think I'll ever purchase a package again either -- especially now that you've put in the form of the question, "Is that queen worth $120+?" So true! I bought two packages with the intention of requeening all along, but you're right. I paid a lot of money for a queen I didn't plan to use and some comb.Julie Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-12170238724919826362015-06-02T15:43:50.604-04:002015-06-02T15:43:50.604-04:00I wish all Top Bar Hivers had the luxury of locall...I wish all Top Bar Hivers had the luxury of locally-produced packages. I agree that it could avoid queen problems and the need to requeen. Luckily here in Colorado, I have access to a local "Survivor stock" package bee producer and even a couple of TBH nuc producers. <br /><br />My bigger wish though, is that more people would understood what a package really is. That's why I wrote this post: http://bbhb.blogspot.com/2013/01/primer-how-to-get-bees-part-ii-package.html <br /><br />Basically, I don't think of a package as anything other than 3ish lbs of bees sent along with a queen to get her residence established. There's no reason to take into consideration the worker bees' genetics since they'll be dead and gone in three weeks. The genetics of the queen (and the eggs she will lay) is what really matters. I think most people only try to answer the question, "What's the easiest way to populate my hive?" but they need to think beyond that. When I see package prices I ask myself, "Is that queen worth $120+?" "Is the supplier providing the resources for her to justify that cost?" Beekeeping is so much deeper an endeavor than most people realize. — HBHBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00457255992295971802noreply@blogger.com