Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => THE TRADING POST => Topic started by: INDIOS on July 08, 2015, 01:25:05 am
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Canadian beekeeper looking to import AMM dark European honey bees to improve winter survival and cold weather hardiness, any help or contacts are appreciated.
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are you looking for queens or packages/nucleus colonies? What are the Canadian import regulations? There are several queen breeders online. They may be sold out however.
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From everything that I have read on bee imports, Canada is tougher that USA.
Jim
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What is to prevent a swarm from flying across the St. Lawrence river?
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No Visas :grin: I will be looking for where I received my Russians from when I get out to my outer yard. If tred is open I will respond then. -Mike
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The only problem with importation is they have come from a area free of the africanized bees, hive beetle, etc. etc. They always bring in queens, nucs from Australia, Hawaii, and California, so it shouldn't be that difficult, if all else fails, Soo Michigan is very close, and the mated queens can cross under the seat :wink: any of the apis melefera melifera (AMM) variety will do, I am tired of having 50-60% winter losses, mainly due to the italian variety that is available, thanks.
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What is to prevent a swarm from flying across the St. Lawrence river?
One article that I read about a guy that lived on the Canadian border was preventer from moving his bees while at the same time the bees were crosing the boarder every day.
Jim
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Living on a border state and having been to Canada many times I have to say indios probably has the right idea. It would be pretty easy to hide and sneak queen across the bridge. I find it more difficult to come home than go to Canada. Although I did have a bit of a time on a camping trip when I was a kid. That was because they had a problem with parental child abduction and one parent fleeing with the kid to Canada. Because it was just me and my father they stopped us. They did let us go it was pretty obvious what we were doing with the canoe and the camping gear...
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Getting back to the bees, in Canada you already have some of the best wintering overwintering bees available. Ferguson's Apiaries in Ontario have Buckfast, and the U. of Guelph was working with a Russian line several years ago. Check around and you will find what you want.