Saskatraz

[JackM]

Well replaced my gone queens with some "Saskatraz" queens.  I got them out of Iowa as the main place in CA wouldn't respond.  So these are a strain out of Canada.  The queens and the attendants seem smaller than what I have had (local survivor bees).  (I do still have 2 hives with the survivor bees.)

So we shall see, they were accepted immediately, but I still left the candy for them to deal with it.  Now to get them going and then feed the crap out of them once the dearth hits.(About 6 weeks)

[Dustymunky]

Keep us posted on the saskatraz queen. I have thought about getting some for mite/disease resistance. Very young queens always seem small. Once they get fed by new hive and laying they usually fatten up.

[Bush_84]

This is what I have heard.  It has all been good things. They seem to do well overwinter. Thrifty with stores and calm. Ian steppler did a YouTube video on them and was impressed. My biggest issue is hybrid vigor. This essentially means that any queen you raise off of it will not be as good as the mother you grafted from. That has been my biggest hesitation. Other than that I don?t think I?ve read anything negative about them.

[BeeMaster2]

How long do you think you can keep one of these queens in your hive before they swarm or supersed her? Are you going to clip their wings?
Jim

[JackM]

How long do you think you can keep one of these queens in your hive before they swarm or supersed her? Are you going to clip their wings?
Jim

Jim,
Nope, did not clip wings.  If they swarm, I have added new genetics to the local biomass.  I try not to let my hives swarm, but it happens.  My purpose in keeping bees is the environment, honey is the second.  Have only had cold days since installed so not checked in 2 days now.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

[Aroc]

We have 4 hives now with Saskatraz.  Seem to do very well for us.  So far mites have not been found with sugar rolls.  Over wintered well.  Very calm and gentle compared to our VSH queens.

[JackM]

Well they are all out now, had to assist one, the cage had fallen and the screen side was down, all the bees in the cage were lethargic, but they moved right off once able to.  I guess they aren't that small, just the screen and attendants obscured my view.  Just gonna let them bee now for awhile.  Come spring we shall see how they did

[Aroc]

Mine were small when I got them.  They fattened up nicely

[JackM]

Observation of these over the summer has been interesting.  The weak hive is not putting up stores even though they are being fed.  Do not expect them to make the winter. 

They are very active at cooler temps,  They are working feeders heavily at 42 degrees.  The gangbuster hive is still that I may swipe some of the frames of syrup honey to the weak one.  The middle one is just like all hives with the exception they are busy in cooler temps.

The weak hive had some superseceedure cells on last inspection.  Going to just let them do as they please here for now.  Again, pretty calm bees too.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Thank you for the update, Mr. Jack, 42 degrees is impressive.

 Speaking for 3 of my hives in Arkansas, 47 degrees F is the absolute low for bees flying.  The remaining 16 of my hives the temp is a bit higher at 49F plus.

So the degrees posted by JackM, 42F is impressive, 5 degrees lower than my most cold toleranct hives.

[JackM]

I think I will get 3 more queens in the spring and just have all Saskatraz