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Author Topic: Saskatraz  (Read 14012 times)

Offline buzzbee

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Saskatraz
« on: March 31, 2018, 10:22:13 pm »
Anyone here have any experience with the Saskatraz  bees ?
I got a package today with a Saskatraz  queen from Mann Lake. (olivarez bees).

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2018, 10:28:19 pm »
I have experienced olivarez queens, if that helps.  Could not ask for a better queen, produced gentle bees, good comb builders and produced a lot of Honey.

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2018, 10:34:20 pm »
I had their carnolians.My overwintered hive lost the lid in a windstorm after being intact since last fall. Not sure if it may have had help. The lid was weighted and went through many worse storms.
The cold rains ran through the hive before I even knew the lid was missing. I lost a very large colony that still had plenty of stores coming into spring.
This package was to be a second hive, but back to one. Hopefully swarm season will be friendly this year and I can replenish.

Offline Bush_84

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2018, 11:23:53 pm »
I don?t have them, but I hear a lot of good things about them. My biggest concern is the limitation for rearing queens off of them. They lose their hybrid vigor if you try.
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Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2018, 11:36:49 pm »
Bush,
That is typical for hybrids.  Kind of like breeding a horse and a mule.
Jim
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Offline Bush_84

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2018, 12:04:33 am »
Bush,
That is typical for hybrids.  Kind of like breeding a horse and a mule.
Jim

Ya at this point in my beekeeping venture I?m just not a fan of buying all of my queens. I know that it?d be more efficient for me but I just have difficulty buying something i can make myself. It?s the story of my life.
Keeping bees since 2011.

Also please excuse the typos.  My iPad autocorrect can be brutal.

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2018, 11:16:05 am »
I can't comment on the Saskatraz bees since mine are all mutts as far as I know.  I hope they do well for you.  I don't thick that there is a magic bullet when it comes to the latest hybrid(including the purdue mite biters that I hear about). 

I just have difficulty buying something i can make myself.

I agree with you.  With 30 hives making it through the winter, hopefully, I won't ever have to buy another bee.  :wink:


Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2018, 11:38:05 am »
I personally do not like to buy queens. They work great for commercial beeks that plan on replacing them every 6 months but I want bees that can survive on their own and make it through the winter.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Aroc

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2018, 12:06:09 pm »
We purchased as single Saskatraz last year from Lappe?s.  Ordered three more this year.  Not a lot of history for feedback but it looks like she cane out of our long Montana winter just fine.  I haven?t been successful yet rearing queens but I do plan on it this year.

Didn?t have a lot of mites in her hive but still treated before going into winter.

You are what you think.

Offline moebees

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2018, 12:11:16 pm »
I have 3 of them but since they are new nucs this year I don't have anything to say about them yet.
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Offline Acebird

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2018, 07:23:35 pm »
I want bees that can survive on their own and make it through the winter.
Even if winter is vacation in the tropics.  LOL
Brian Cardinal
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Offline JackM

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2018, 10:06:00 am »
I bought 3 queens this year as well.  Been reporting on the other thread, but it got off track.  So far, one is just gangbusters, another is what I call normal, and the third has spotty brood in 2" circles, but is building albeit slowly.  Curious to see how they winter in our wet environment.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2018, 10:32:24 am »
Jack,
They sound like typical hives. I wonder what would happen if you switched the location of the strong and the weak hive.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline JackM

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2018, 09:11:17 am »
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
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Offline Aroc

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2018, 10:08:43 am »
I really like the ones we have so far.  They are much calmer than our VSH queens or Carniolans.  Honey production is to be seen still.  Later this summer.
You are what you think.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2018, 10:07:25 pm »
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
Jack,
I said that because bees are affected by magnets fields caused by underground water flow. I wonder if one has a good flow and not the other.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Acebird

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #16 on: June 27, 2018, 08:52:01 am »
I think Jim is referring to the dousing exercise we did at beefest.  If this is the case it would be better to just move the weak hive 3-4 feet away from the strong hive.  The magnetic grid lines are 6-8 ft apart.  If you swap hives you may see an improvement in the weak hive just because of drift.
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Offline Troutdog

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2018, 08:55:38 am »
Jim,
I could, they are right next to each other, but I think I prefer to see how they do if they have to struggle.
Jack,
I said that because bees are affected by magnets fields caused by underground water flow. I wonder if one has a good flow and not the other.
Jim
The magnetic lines are about 9 ft apart in NY. Further south further apart. They always run west to east and south to north.
Other ionic flows occur at fault lines or underground streams and can go in any direction.
The magnetic lines are called Hartmann lines with a secondary 45 degree less strong line called Curry lines.
A swarm generally collects itself in a crossing of any of the above.
Placing hives on the Hartmann lines somewhat helps with varroa, and overall health.
Cheers
Tom

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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #18 on: July 02, 2018, 04:47:04 pm »
Hello Tom,
Thanks for helping out and clarifying that.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Troutdog

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Re: Saskatraz
« Reply #19 on: July 02, 2018, 07:31:14 pm »
Hello Tom,
Thanks for helping out and clarifying that.
Jim
I just remembered I did what you did turn a hive in a different direction  and it actually helped.
There is soooooo much we dont know that's where the rods come in handy. Never really know till ya ask the system.
Hope your family well...


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