For me the Buckfast has been a pleasure to work with, we had a face smasher of a hive, now the nicest, all thanks to your hardwork with breeder queens. Can't wait for next years overwintered Buckfasts nucs. 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝
I'm in the states. I've run buck fast in my colonies years ago. What I found is the the granddaughters become quite nasty which becomes a problem where I keep them. I do like them when they are pure buck fast, but it's not worth the problems generations down.
I think you have just nailed the issue nicely. Bringing in new genetic stock is great - but having to constantly keep doing this is expensive. I also found the Buckfasts to be very greedy over the winter compared to other bees I have had.
All my bees except one which is an experimental Ligustica, are now Buckfast. I'd like the temperament of them and the hive protection of the Hereford vikings in my hives, then maybe I wouldn't have lost 8 colonies to wasps this year😢
Sorry to hear that. I've never seen any correlation between temperament towards humans and defensiveness against insects. Some of my calmest colonies are like assassin when a wasp comes near
@@glenjames1942 Quite the opposite I think. In parts of France, Spain and Portugal they hardly ever see any wasps now as the Asian hornets are predating on those heavily too. I'm seriously concerned about the future of beekeeping going forward. Maybe we'll need to import Japanese queen's as they have evolved with the hornets and have developed a defence against them. Ours on the other hand are clueless and have no idea how to defend against them.
