Author Topic: Russians ~ Let's Talk  (Read 4145 times)

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Offline riverbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2018, 12:10:42 am »
kevin, i just wanted to come back to this thread.

i get real leery of those marketing and selling russian bees outside of the rhba, when most of the time they are hybrids, and advertising can be misleading.

your package of russian bees and russian queen was purchased by kelley's from an rhba member, steven coy, of coy's honey farm; mississippi and arkansas. 

that's pretty cool that someone in the rhba is now selling/distributing packages for purebred russian stock!

looking forward to an update from you on how your packages are doing!


i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #21 on: May 04, 2018, 12:27:20 am »
I have done business with Coy Bee Farm in Mississippi. Good reputable people.
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline riverbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #22 on: May 04, 2018, 12:52:42 am »
yes, they are neill, i have purchased queens from them!

have some beeks up here who i 'converted' to keeping russian bees. one of the beeks orders queens from coys for a local club for those doing spring divides.  pretty cool!
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Offline Newbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #23 on: May 04, 2018, 06:10:20 am »

your package of russian bees and russian queen was purchased by kelley's from an rhba member, steven coy, of coy's honey farm; mississippi and arkansas. 

that's pretty cool that someone in the rhba is now selling/distributing packages for purebred russian stock!


Ah, so you talked to Kelley Bee I take it? I never did find the time to eMail them this week.... Thanks. Understand your concerns, I think that's exactly why the RHBA is being so 'active' in its efforts to control the language people are marketing with. Glad to hear Kelley Bee is 'doing the right thing'.

Anyways, yes, the girls seem to be doing well.  They were installed Sat., I went back to the hive.. Monday? Checked and the queen had been released (candy gone, cage empty). Removed the shim I had in there (to make room for the queen cage), topped up the feeder, and haven't touched them since. Activity outside the hive seems appropriate, there were a few coming back loaded with pollen. Will get another chance to look at them today/this weekend hopefully. See if there's any new comb being drawn. I had used a handful of the old frames from my hive last year, so lots of comb already drawn for them.

- K

Offline Sour Kraut

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #24 on: May 19, 2018, 08:54:39 pm »
"that would be coy's honey farm in jonesboro, arkansas. they have two operations, one in arkansas (father and sons), honey, pollination and nucs. the other son is in mississippi, (steven coy) and only does queens."

sorry, not correct.

I picked up 4 nucs from the Coy operation in Wiggins MS on 04-19.

Good results, too, all 4 are working on 4-6 frames in a second deep.

Offline riverbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #25 on: May 21, 2018, 10:55:52 am »
"sorry, not correct."
sour kraut..........

reply #21 (in reply to newbee):

"your package of russian bees and russian queen was purchased by kelley's from an rhba member, steven coy, of coy's honey farm; mississippi and arkansas. "
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Offline Newbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #26 on: May 23, 2018, 05:38:14 pm »
Made a quick inspection today. Hive had stopped taking sugar, so I removed the hive top feeder.
Handful of frames showing new wax and eggs only a day or two old (tiny white dot). Some fully formed larvae on the older frames (pre-existing wax), as well as capped brood, cells of pollen and even some honey. Still only one hive body, but I saw a lot of new bee's... in the next couple weeks she might be ready for the 2nd to get installed. Still some bare foundation on a few of the 'new' frames, so not quite ready yet.
Overall hive looked good. I'd found some wax-moth larvae in the bottom tray once, but have been checking it regularly since, and... no larvae. Also felt like these bee's were more amicable, tolerated the inspect better. Never once did I feel threatened, despite pulling out 3-4 frames.

- K
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Offline Newbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #27 on: June 08, 2018, 09:53:07 pm »
Girls sure are busy lately.

- K



Offline Newbee

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Re: Russians ~ Let's Talk
« Reply #28 on: June 08, 2018, 10:50:12 pm »
Ya know, on second inspection, I feel obligated to point out... the black plastic frame(s) in this pic, were purchased/picked up from Kelley Bee at the same time as the package bee's. I put the drawn comb (wooden frames) on the outside, the 'new' frames on the inside (hive entrance was in the middle). Those suckers drew comb and filled it darned near all, in about 6 weeks (4/28 to 6/5?)
They seem to be a might bit 'less' aggressive than the carni's I got last year, too? Now granted, I'm new to this hobby, but after a few minutes of inspection, the bee's I had last year (Carni's from a Georgia breeder) made it known they were done w/ me playing around). These Russian bee's, are far more tolerant of me poking around. They still signal their impatience, but a few puff's of smoke, and I can check a couple more frames. The previous bee's I had.... you closed things up and went back to the truck, or you got stung.
Very impressed (and pleased), for a newbie.

- K