Pickup options anticipated in Shoreline, WA and Carnation, WA. Pickup in Olympia, WA possible if there is sufficient interest.

We got package pricing early this year, so we’re open for early orders. Buy now for Early Bee pricing (and start putting together that awesome beginning beekeeping Christmas package that you know you or someone you love is wanting!). Early Bee pricing expires 12/31.

3 lbs of bees with a mated queen of your choice (Italian, Carniolan, Saskatraz; find Golden West packages here). Packages are produced by Olivarez Honey Bees. Details about each queen line will be posted soon below.

Pickup TBD in April. Purchasers will be updated with a pickup date as soon as it is confirmed. In case of multiple pickup dates, pickups will be scheduled in the order of purchase.

Happy Beekeeping!

Peter and Amy Beth

Queen Line information, as per Olivarez Honey Bees:

Italian queens form the backbone of OHB. We choose our breeder queens based on the hive's performance in honey production, gentleness, brood-rearing viability, and overall ability to overwinter healthy and heavy. In addition, OHB has worked with the "Tech Transfer Team," developed by world-renowned entomologist Marla Spivak, since before its official launch in an effort to identify and maintain desirable traits in our current stock. We've infused the "Minnesota Hygienic" and the "VSH" traits into our Italian stock, in an effort to enhance disease and mite resistance or tolerance.

• OHB queens are Certified free from Africanized Genetics
• OHB is Certified free from Small Hive Beetle

Italian traits:

• Gentle and easy to manage (a good "beginner bee")
• Prolific brood producers
• Highly hygienic
• Good comb builders
• Excellent foragers
• Excellent honey producers

Carniolans are known for their winter hardiness, rapid spring buildup, and exceptional honey production. They show excellent resistance to tracheal mites and are great comb builders. OHB has several sources for instrumentally inseminated breeder queens. The queens we produce from these breeders are open-mated with all of our stock for genetic diversity and hybrid vigor.

• OHB queens are Certified free from Africanized Genetics
• OHB is Certified free from Small Hive Beetle

Carniolan traits:

• A good choice for colder climates
• More likely to forage on cool, wet days than other bees
• Quick to brood up when nectar is available
• Excellent honey producers

Saskatraz hybrids are produced in Northern California (Orland area) exclusively by Olivarez Honey Bees using Saskatraz breeder queens constructed in Saskatchewan, Canada by Meadow Ridge Enterprises (Breeder and CEO, Albert J. Robertson). A detailed review of the Saskatraz project (established 2005) including breeding methods, published research articles, power point presentations and information on individual breeding families, including Saskatraz hybrids can be found at www.saskatraz.com.

Saskatraz breeder queens are selected for honey production, wintering ability, temperament, tracheal mite resistance, varroa tolerance / resistance and brood diseases. The Saskatraz breeding program uses recurrent natural selection to select for varroa tolerance in productive colonies with good economic traits. We have found varroa tolerance is not a stable trait, with considerable variability in the daughters of selected breeder queen’s. In the last 3 or 4 years we have crossed high VSH lines with our naturally selected colonies to try and increase stability of the varroa tolerant trait. This looks to be promising and new lines are currently being evaluated. However, we have also noted that treatment with some synthetic miticides, although initially effective in lowering phoretic varroa infestations, may negatively affect the colonies ability to cope with subsequent mite infestations. Some miticide treatments may also result in increased virus infections, particularly in varroa susceptible phenotypes. (Unpublished data)

Saskatraz hybrids are being produced in Northern California using virgin queens from diverse families of Saskatraz breeder queens and open mating them with unrelated drone populations in the Orland area. These queens produce colonies with genetically diverse workers. This diversity results in increased vigor, and analyses of hybrid queens in Canada is showing fast spring build up and increases in honey production. Attention to fall stores for wintering and in the spring is necessary.

Use of Saskatraz hybrid stock in your apiaries should provide drone populations which will increase the frequency of alleles for honey production and varroa tolerance, as well as other economic traits. This is because drones from the hybrids carry the genetics of their mother, the breeder queen.

• OHB queens are Certified free from Africanized Genetics
• OHB is Certified free from Small Hive Beetle

Saskatraz breeder queen traits:

• Excellent honey production
• Good wintering ability
• Selected for increased varroa tolerance and resistance to brood diseases
• Show increased hygienic behavior