I found a bee business in Palo Cedro, CA that would sell me one queen. Hard time finding queens this time of year. Either a 10 queen minimum, or the overnight air expenses due to the heat.
Had a real good talk with a Mr. Robert Wooten, Wooten's Golden Queens, about a 2 hours drive from my town. He comes from a family of queen breeders and beekeepers. He was very honest and polite and a pleasure to visit with. He said that he would be happy to sell me a queen, and yes it is quit feasible for a queen to jump start a colony this time of year up in my territory... "under the right circumstances".... and there is the rub
The queen will start laying eggs during a time that there is no pollen coming in, and the Star Thistle has no nectar. A recipe for disaster. I knew this from talking to you guys on the forum, just reiterating.
I also learned from him that he has a couple of thousand hives right in our area, like on the outskirts of town and in the small towns close to us. Says it cooler up here than Palo Cedro at 125 or more every day.
Bottom line ~ he suggested what Iddee said in the first place, and what Apis said to me 3 TIMES which was "Listen to the master Jen!"
So, my friend Phill, will have to make a decision on whether to dump the bees and let the brood hatch in my hive. Or, keep stinging until the hive dies out.
Thanks for listening
