Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m new to bee keeping and would like to understand more about breeding queens and re-queening. I have had my bees since March.
From my understanding:
100% F0 buckfast queen (these can only be 100% from isolation stations or island mating. (Not sure genetics are still 100% buckfast but using this as base)
If you breed a queen from f0 you have now have an F1 queen who is also 100% buckfast but:
She gets open mated in your area with mongrel local bees. Her daughters will be 50% buckfast and 50% mongrel. This cross generally still has good potential for good natured productive bees.
NEXT GEN PROBLEMS:
Any queen derived from an F1 will only be 50% buckfast and her offspring (daughters) will be 75% mongrel genes.
Colours:
F0 and F1 bees will be Tan/ Tawny colour
F2 bees will be very black
So avoid F2 bees.
I know this all depends on drones in the area and is just general assumption.
So.. I started with a nuc of 5 frames of bees, stated as an imported queen. I was totally new to bee keeping, but the bees came from a large reputable bee supplier in Oxfordshire. Unfortunately, it does seem many suppliers give very little info on the bees sold. I have since learnt the importance of knowing what you are getting. I have no idea what generation the queen would be, infact they didn’t even tell me what bees they were, but I know they only sell buckfast packages and buckfast and Italian queen bees only, that are imported.
I have since made a swarm prevention split, which has gone smoothly, but let the original hive re-queen them-self. As my learning has progressed, it’s more out of interest to me to have maximum knowledge of my bees, so I do consider re-queening at some point, so I know exactly what I have. Unfortunately, as a beginner, I fell into the trap of ‘these are bees, they make honey’. Now I’m so into bees I want understanding and knowledge for the future of my own bees. I have explained a little about my situation but my real question is about the F0,F1,F2 generations. So far all is well in my hives.
Many thanks
From my understanding:
100% F0 buckfast queen (these can only be 100% from isolation stations or island mating. (Not sure genetics are still 100% buckfast but using this as base)
If you breed a queen from f0 you have now have an F1 queen who is also 100% buckfast but:
She gets open mated in your area with mongrel local bees. Her daughters will be 50% buckfast and 50% mongrel. This cross generally still has good potential for good natured productive bees.
NEXT GEN PROBLEMS:
Any queen derived from an F1 will only be 50% buckfast and her offspring (daughters) will be 75% mongrel genes.
Colours:
F0 and F1 bees will be Tan/ Tawny colour
F2 bees will be very black
So avoid F2 bees.
I know this all depends on drones in the area and is just general assumption.
So.. I started with a nuc of 5 frames of bees, stated as an imported queen. I was totally new to bee keeping, but the bees came from a large reputable bee supplier in Oxfordshire. Unfortunately, it does seem many suppliers give very little info on the bees sold. I have since learnt the importance of knowing what you are getting. I have no idea what generation the queen would be, infact they didn’t even tell me what bees they were, but I know they only sell buckfast packages and buckfast and Italian queen bees only, that are imported.
I have since made a swarm prevention split, which has gone smoothly, but let the original hive re-queen them-self. As my learning has progressed, it’s more out of interest to me to have maximum knowledge of my bees, so I do consider re-queening at some point, so I know exactly what I have. Unfortunately, as a beginner, I fell into the trap of ‘these are bees, they make honey’. Now I’m so into bees I want understanding and knowledge for the future of my own bees. I have explained a little about my situation but my real question is about the F0,F1,F2 generations. So far all is well in my hives.
Many thanks