Subject: Help needed choosing bees for new hive

From: [email-masked] (Mike Killoran)
Date: 09 Feb 1995 14:09:55 GMT

Hi,

I just finished my first year as a beekeeper.  I have one hive
wintering with Starline bees.  They did very well last year,
almost 100 pounds of honey!  Of course, they started on foundation
so I feel it was quite a good year.

Now I'm planning on adding another hive and I'd like to select
a strain (is that the right word?) that is visually different
from my Starlines.  You may wonder why I don't get another package
of Starlines as they did so well for me; As I'm doing this mostly 
for fun, getting something different seems like fun.

I believe Starlines are derived from Caucasian.  What would be
a good choice here?  A friend said Buckfast is a good choice,
anyone know if they look different from the Starlines?  If it 
matters, I'm located a bit west of Boston.

Also, is there any reason that I shouldn't mix bee types in the
same apiary?

	-Mike Killoran

An aside:

When I first heard the name 'Buck fast' I thought that whoever
named them should really take a marketing class!  I could picture
someone who just whipped up a new strain for profit thinking 'Hmmm,
this should make me a fast buck... maybe I'll call them Buckfast.

Now knowing they were developed in Buckfast, England makes my
imaginary scheme less likely...
--
Mike Killoran                            Zen says:
[email-masked]                  Cease to do evil,
(617) 981-2667 (Lexington, MA USA)    Try to do good.