Has anyone gotten a nuc from Andrew Bonde of Bonde Bees in Randolph

[Drew]

Im thinking about getting bees from him and was wondering if anyone here has anything to say about the quality of the bees/ how well they've preformed for you etc. They are supposed to be vhs queens; anyone have an opinion on those either?

[Chris Holman]

I purchased some nucs from him a couple of years ago, and they've survived the last two winters without any treatments and minimal management…for what it's worth.  The most honey my bees have ever taken in were with his bees too.  Not that I think he has a particular 'honey' trait going on.  It has just been a positive experience for me.

I like that he's trying to develop 'northern genetics' too, and he has always been helpful with me when I had questions.

The only other bees I've kept were packages, and they all died (starve out…and I didn't take any honey).

So that's my last five years in a nutshell.

Chris

On Mon, Mar 30, 2015 at 9:28 PM, Drew <drew...@gmail.com> wrote:

Im thinking about getting bees from him and was wondering if anyone here has anything to say about the quality of the bees/ how well they've preformed for you etc. They are supposed to be vhs queens; anyone have an opinion on those either?

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Chris Holman, (715) 498-3276

Owner-Operator, Nami Moon Farms 

Lifetime Member, Wisconsin Farmers Union

Temporarily Not Soil

"If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist." - Isaac Asimov
"I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers which can't be questioned." - Feynman

"Remember, write to your Congressman. Even if he can’t read, write to him." -Will Rogers

[Joseph Bessetti]

I'd ask if he selects for VSH behavior, and how.   The genetics of VSH tends not to be maintained long term in open-mated stock without active selection. 
 
Joe

 

> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 19:28:00 -0700
> From: drew...@gmail.com
> To: mad...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [madbees] Has anyone gotten a nuc from Andrew Bonde of Bonde Bees in Randolph

>
> Im thinking about getting bees from him and was wondering if anyone here has anything to say about the quality of the bees/ how well they've preformed for you etc. They are supposed to be vhs queens; anyone have an opinion on those either?
>

[Drew]

Im glad to hear they've survived and preformed well for you. I think I'll put in an order. I Also have to say out of all the farmers market vendors I've tried your whole chickens and duck eggs were the best. So dissapointed when you stop going to the tues east market.

[Susan]

I purchased nuc from him a couple of years ago.  Infested with hive beetles so beware.

[Drew]

Hi Susan. Were they able to build up and make a strong colony/ survive the winter? Did the queen perform well?

On Monday, March 30, 2015 at 9:28:00 PM UTC-5, Drew wrote:

[John B]

Susan, Are you positive they were small hive beetles or is it possible they were a different beetle? Did your nuc build up ok?

[Paul Zelenski]

I have no experience or comment on the nucs from Bonde, but it is much more likely to have SHB in a southern nuc than to find them in a hive in the spring. From what I've read, so far all the SHB in WI are from migratory beeks rather than an established population. But, there have been some that claim to have seen small pockets of overwintered SHB. I am just hoping it never becomes a real problem. We have enough to deal with already. 

[Susan]

I am positive it was small hive beetle.  His hives are overwintered in southern Illinois and then transported back to Wisconsin and the beetles come with them.  Part of this was my inexperience since I didn't know what to look for right away.  By the end, frames of comb/honey were crawling with hive beetle larva and the combs were slimed.  I bought packages from Lee Heine and the Bonde nuc.  Bonde's nuc was the first to get infested with larva and slimed.  The bees absconded.  I had noticed a black bug(s) in the Bonde hive early on but didn't look at it closely and identify it.  I had also left pollen patties on my hives since they were building up.  Leaving pollen patties on is a big no no since the patties are food for them will hide out under the patty paper so the bees cannot get them.  My hives are in rural southwestern Wisconsin, and there are no other beekeepers within many miles. I put hive traps in the remaining hives and caught some so I was able to identify for sure. The packages were not strong enough to fight them off so they eventually succumbed to them.  It is very, very gross.  If you purchase this nuc, be sure to keep it away from any other hives you may have.  However, be aware that these beetles can fly 7 to 8 miles and target weak hives by a pheromone given off.  They can overwinter in the cluster.  If the soil is sandy, the larvae will burrow into it and transform into beetles.  Clay soil hinders that process.  I called Craig Petros about this and sought is advice on how to destroy the frames with the beetles/larvae in them.  In sum, it was a very disheartening experience.   On the bright side, I bought four new packages last year, and they all made it through the winter.  They are buzzing with bees right now. 

On Monday, March 30, 2015 at 9:28:00 PM UTC-5, Drew wrote: