Buckfast bee breed: description, pros and cons, content, comparison with other breeds

Description of the breed

In England, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the population of local bees was practically destroyed by the tracheal mite . In the county of Devon, at Buckfast Abbey, the beekeeper monk Karl Carchre (Brother Adam) noted that a cross between local and Italian bees survived the epidemic with partial losses. The monk began searching for genetic material in the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.

Buckfast Abbey in England

As a result of many years of work, he bred a breed of bees with the same name of the abbey. The breed was productive , did not show aggressiveness, rarely swarmed, and had good immunity.

On a note ! In beekeeping, the Buckfast bee breed occupies a priority place in breeding. The only drawback of the variety is poor tolerance of low temperatures by insects. for apiaries located in cold climates.

Table. Characteristics of the buckfast bee.

A distinctive feature of buckfast bees from other varieties of bees is their body structure: it is flatter and more elongated. The color is darker, there is a yellow color, the paws are black; in other breeds they are brown. In a hive on a frame , movements are slow, unhurried, activity manifests itself when collecting nectar , so the breed is one of the most productive. It rarely stings, does not attack, and calmly coexists with humans.

Care instructions

Based on the many characteristics of the bee, beekeepers have come up with a number of recommendations designed to help those who are just starting to work with the Italian bee:

1. The weaknesses of the bee are honeydew in feeding, as well as nosematosis. The beekeeper’s task is to closely monitor the food he gives to his bees, as well as to carry out timely prevention of nosematosis and routine veterinary examinations.
2. If your region experiences harsh winters, then you can be sure that this breed is not for you. The Italian breed is generally not adapted to harsh winters, and this feature cannot be eradicated with the help of additional food or insulation.
3. Moving with an Italian woman needs to be planned very carefully. The fact is that the breed does not like transportation and tolerates it quite poorly. If there is a special need for transportation, the procedure should be made as comfortable as possible for insects. A similar recommendation applies to any stressful situations that bees may experience.

Italian bee in flight

Despite the fact that the insect quite easily finds honey plants during the bribe period, it is worth considering that the bee gives preference to those plants that are located close to the house

So it is very important to take care of this point by planting, if possible, more honey plants when there is a shortage of them. In addition, the Italian will be happy to pollinate plants grown in greenhouse conditions. Control the egg production of the uterus

Since she is quite large, this can have a negative impact on your bee colonies, so it is very important to restrict the queen in time if there is such a need. Do not forget to monitor the consumption of honey in the evidence. Insects spend a large amount of useful food on raising brood, so the beekeeper’s expectations of abundance may not be justified. Despite the fact that the breed itself is known for its thievery, it will not tolerate thieves near its home. That is why this process does not require additional control.

Control the egg production of the uterus

Since she is quite large, this can have a negative impact on your bee colonies, so it is very important to restrict the queen in time if there is such a need. Don't forget to keep track of honey consumption in evidence

Insects spend a large amount of useful food on raising brood, so the beekeeper’s expectations of abundance may not be justified. Despite the fact that the breed itself is known for its thievery, it will not tolerate thieves near its home. That is why this process does not require additional control.

The Italian bee is suitable for both beginners and professionals. With proper care, you will be able to avoid any difficulties that arise in your work.

What do buckfast uteri look like?

In the photo there is a buckfast queen, she is much larger than worker bees, the aircraft is less developed. It has a lighter color, a long abdomen, a light brown color, and a yellow tint that is much greater than that of working individuals. A young unfertilized individual is capable of flying out of the hive. During the reproduction process, the queen does not leave the hive and does not rise up. Does not leave the frame until it is completely filled.

Laying continues throughout the year. The queen bee buckfast builds a nest only on the lower tiers of the hive; the nest is small and compact. The reproductive process continues throughout the day, the queen lays up to 2 thousand eggs.

Attention ! The family is constantly growing and requires a larger hive and a constant supply of empty frames.

Close-up view of queen bee

Maturation of uterine eggs

Marking the queen bee

Queen mother of the bee family

to obtain a buckfast queen bee from brood . Out of a thousand young individuals, about 20 will be used for breeding, preserving the genetic characteristics of the buckfast, and then with the condition that the drone will be purebred. Therefore, the price offer for bee packages with Buckfast is high. Breeding farms involved in breeding this breed are located only in Germany.

Character and behavior in the family

Bees of this breed tend to create large colonies. They form compact nests and keep the bottom of the home clean. There is not a large amount of propolis inside, and beebread accumulates on a separate frame.

Bees of the Buckfast breed have a calm disposition. When inspecting the hive, they avoid contact and are non-aggressive. When removing the frame, you don’t even have to resort to pacifying them with a smoker; they don’t sting.

However, sometimes insects engage in theft. Each bee colony has a unique smell by which individuals distinguish each other. At the same time, strangers who fly into the hive are immediately destroyed.

Image by PollyDot from Pixabay

Working individuals tend to take care of housing and protect it. They create honeycombs, collect nectar, and feed their offspring. Before collecting honey, drones appear. Males are needed to mate with the queen bee Buckfast. They can have the genes of any breed. This increases the likelihood of breed characteristics splitting in subsequent generations.

The brood is always at the bottom of the hive. Insects initially perceive the new queen aggressively. However, over time they get used to it and provide quality care. After the productivity of the Buckfast queen decreases, worker bees kill her - by stinging or strangling her.

Buckfast breed lines with descriptions

The Buckfast breed includes a number of varieties, which are significantly smaller than other bee breeds. In terms of external characteristics, the subspecies are practically the same; they have different functional purposes.

1. For breeding work they use B24,25,26 . The insects have completely preserved the genetic characteristics of the first representatives of the breed: productivity, lack of aggression, constant increase in population . Both the female line (queens) and the male line (drones) are suitable for selection.
2. In breeding work with B252 , only drones are used; in the process, the immune system is adjusted, and resistance against diseases is introduced into the new offspring.
3. Line B327 , not used to preserve the breed, these are neat working bees, whose hive is always clean, the honeycombs are lined up in an even line, the cells are carefully sealed. Of all the subspecies, these are the most peaceful representatives.
4. For industrial purposes they use A199 and B204 , the distinctive feature of which is long-distance flights. Bees with high flora migration fly out early in the morning, not paying attention to weather conditions. Nepotism is strong; all adults raise brood.
5. In subspecies P218 and P214, the Far Eastern bee is present in the genotype. These are the strongest representatives in terms of immunity and productivity, but also the most aggressive.
6. The German line B75 is used commercially for the formation of bee packages and has all the characteristics of buckfast.

Expert opinion

Ponomarev Sergey Stepanovich

Beekeeper with 30 years of experience, Candidate of Technical Sciences

All Buckfast lines have in common: high reproduction, ability to work, early departures, calm behavior.

Disease resistance

When choosing a frost-resistant carnica or an economical buckfast, it is important to take into account that they have a tendency to diseases, for which it is better to carry out preventive work.

The Krajina representative has an increased risk of being affected by ascospherosis.

Ascospherosis is an infectious disease caused by a white mold. Infection occurs by penetration of the fungus through the insect's esophagus, after which harm is caused to the offspring (open and sealed larvae). It is difficult to combat a severe form of this disease, so it is necessary to identify it as early as possible to avoid serious losses among individuals. Early symptoms: the presence of a white coating on the combs, offspring and throughout the hive.

Buckfast is protected from ascospherosis, but is prone to varroatosis.

Varroatosis is a disease caused by the varroa mite. It affects the entire family: from the uterus to small larvae and feeds on the blood of its carriers. Its reproduction occurs at a rapid pace in the form of oviposition. Early symptoms do not appear in any way, so varroatosis is very difficult to identify, and, subsequently, the bees become aggressive and nervous.

To exclude such a development of events, it is recommended to carry out emergency drug treatment and prevention.

Distinctive characteristics of Buckfast bees

Buckfast bees differ from other breeds in a number of undeniable advantages.

1. When working with bees, you do not need special equipment or camouflage clothing; the insects calmly go deep into the hive , do not interfere with the work of the beekeeper , and are non-aggressive.
2. The breed does not leave empty cells on the combs; they are rationally filled with honey and brood.
3. Backfast is neat, there is no excess propolis foundation debris . Honeycombs with honey are never placed near frames with babies.
4. They are demanding about the purity of the breed; if the drones are not purebred, the next generation will lose the characteristics characteristic of buckfasts.
5. Buckfasts never swarm, are distinguished by early flights, and feel comfortable in foggy, damp weather, which is as close as possible to the climate of their historical homeland.
6. The uterus has a high reproductive capacity.
7. Over many years of work, the breed's immunity was brought to perfection; individuals are immune to almost all infections, except for the Varroa mite .

Insects are very prolific

Advantages

The obvious advantages of Buckfast bees over other breeds are:

1. Rapid increase in the number of inhabitants of the hive. Possibility of separating families.
2. Endurance, allowing to process large areas of honey-bearing areas. Insects work in almost any weather: rain, fog, wind. In search of nectar, they are able to fly long distances.
3. Resistance to diseases such as ascospherosis (fungal infection), nosematosis, acarapidosis (micromit infection). The latter became possible thanks to the selection and breeding of individuals with a small trachea.
4. Convenient for the beekeeper the settlement of bees and the location of nests. As a rule, nesting sites can be found at the very bottom, but honey and beebread are deposited on top, which makes access to the product easier.
5. Possibility of breeding insects to create autumn and spring honey.
6. Cleanliness and ergonomics of the hive space.
7. The Buckfast breed is not susceptible to intestinal diseases. They leave behind much less propolis than other types of insects.

Disadvantages of Buckfast Bees

The species has few disadvantages, but they are quite serious. Bees cannot tolerate low temperatures. Experimental breeding of buckfast in northern climates, according to reviews, gave negative results. With good insulation , most of the family died. Therefore, the breed is not suitable for breeding in the north.

On a note ! It is difficult to maintain the genetic purity of the species. The queen fully lays eggs for two years. In the third year, the clutch decreases significantly, which means honey productivity decreases. The old individual is replaced with a fertilized one. This is where the problems begin with the Buckfast breed. You can purchase a genetically pure queen only in Germany for a considerable sum.

Where can I buy? Price

To prevent degeneration of the breed, the quality of the queen bee is important. However, it is not so easy to get it. Purebred individuals remained only in Germany. From there they are imported to the east, often through semi-legal routes.

The cost of a uterus ranges from 100-300 euros (even more expensive after artificial insemination).

Often beekeepers buy F1 (first generation) queen bees, which show good productivity and have properties inherent to the breed. Such individuals are cheaper. They can be ordered from bee farms through online stores in the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Ukraine.

Features of keeping buckfast bees

According to reviews from beekeepers with many years of experience, the Buckfast bee breed requires special attention when keeping and breeding. For full productivity, insects need to create special conditions that take into account the distinctive features characteristic of the Buckfast breed.

Features of keeping buckfast bees

Bees create strong, numerous families ; they need a large space; the more space and free frames in the hive, the larger the clutch. As the family grows, the hives are replaced with more spacious ones, and new empty frames are constantly substituted.

Note ! It is impossible to adjust the growth of the family, they are not divided, the brood is not removed, these actions will directly affect productivity. The swarm is intensified, the bees are fed backfast.

Swarminess

Excessive swarming behavior of bees occurs for several reasons. This mainly occurs as a result of the lack of free space in insects. Because of this, the queen bee stops laying eggs, and the workers give up building new honeycombs. Due to the low workload, the bees begin to collect nectar, which is not yet available in the winter or spring, after which they stop flying out of the hive.

If all these signs are present in the apiary, the individuals are ready for swarming. Preventive methods to prevent it will be:

• partial expansion of the hive space by increasing its area and installing additional frames;
• placing the larvae in a compartment distant from the uterus.

If you follow these tips, the bees will stop swarming and will be busy with useful work.

In order to select from representatives of buckfast or frost-resistant carnica, you need to take into account that Krajina bees have a tendency to swarm, so buckfast individuals are better protected.

Wintering bees buckfast

When the temperature drops, insects gather in a ball , and a place for wintering is chosen on the empty honeycombs from which they emerged. The central part is looser, the outermost part is dense. Individuals periodically change places. This measure is necessary for heating and access to food. Insects need energy to raise the temperature in the hives to +300 C at the time the brood appears.

Expert opinion

Ponomarev Sergey Stepanovich

Beekeeper with 30 years of experience, Candidate of Technical Sciences

The buckfast family consumes about 30 g of honey per day to maintain the temperature in the hive.

This factor is taken into account before wintering ; if necessary, the family is fed with syrup. Make sure that the hive is well insulated. After wintering the buckfast outside, in the spring at +120 C the bees begin to fly around . If the wintering was successful, the hive will have frames with brood and no nosematosis .

Oviposition

A peculiarity of Krajina insects is their early spring activity. During this period, the queen bee lays up to 2000 eggs in one day. The rapid growth rate of insect numbers is reduced to a minimum during active nectar collection. The bees use it to fill the free compartments in the honeycombs, thereby minimizing the increase in the number of eggs.

Differentiation of priorities allows you to produce honey in large quantities and multiply intensively when you do not need to expend a lot of energy. The buckfast species is unique due to the fact that the purebred individuals depend on a high-quality and effective queen bee, which is difficult to obtain. According to statistics, out of 1.5 thousand larvae, there will be no more than 35 purebred representatives. This is very little. Therefore, the cost of a breeding queen reaches 500 euros per piece.

There are different ways to determine the quality of an individual in the early stages, but these methods cannot be performed at home due to the use of expensive and precise specialized equipment.

Buckfast bee reviews

Sergey Sorokin, 42 years old, Voronezh

I heard a lot of positive feedback from beekeepers about Buckfast, last year I purchased a bee package and assigned insects to a spacious hive. All characteristics of the breed were fully confirmed. During the season, the family tripled in size, I did not touch it for the winter, I will plant it in the spring after acquiring a fertilized uterus.

Maxim Dorokhov, 38 years old, Moscow region

I had my doubts for a long time before buying a Buckfast, the price is not low, the frost resistance of the breed is weak. I decided and bought it. The costs were fully recouped. The uterus remained overwintered for the third winter; in others, it was changed every year in the fall. I'll see what the laying will be next year.