Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Cossack on March 10, 2009, 08:26:06 pm

Title: Any trustworthy companies that offer decent queens?
Post by: Cossack on March 10, 2009, 08:26:06 pm

     I need to mail order 4 new queens. Does anyone have any recomendations? I live on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Anybody  have good or bad experiences that they could share.




Thanks in advance.

Title: Re: Any trustworthy companies that offer decent queens?
Post by: BjornBee on March 11, 2009, 07:56:50 am

When do you need them?

I have no sources around here unless you wait a couple months.

If you need them now, even some of the big players down south and out west use about everything they have for packages and generally do not have queen ready now, although that should be changing about any day now.

Of the places I like in the south or out west, I like Hardeman's in Georgia, mainly because I have dealt with them over the years and John and the crew are great "ol boys", if you know what I mean. I also like Honey Land Farms out of Florida, which has great queens. In the west, I have dealt with Olivarz Honey Bees (OHB), and they have never missed a mailing date. Not sure if any of them has queens ready now, but they are good places to start.

Of course I always suggest local stock and sources, but reality is we simply do not have enough breeders and supply in the north.

Title: Re: Any trustworthy companies that offer decent queens?
Post by: Two Bees on March 11, 2009, 10:09:51 am

A very popular queen breeder in NC is Busy Bee Apiaries.  Jack Tapp, proprietor, is a well-known commercial beekeeper and a respected veteran of the NC State Beekeeper Society.  He also works directly with the NC State's certified beekeeping program and is involved in their research programs.  Number is (919) 942-2006.  Tell Betsy of Busy Bee that Wade says "Hey"!