# Bee Weaver or R.Weaver??



## RangerBrad

Howdy folk's, I'm looking to buy bees and a family friend suggested the all american from Weaver's in Texas. I googled it and found both Weavers, Bee weavers and R. Weavers. I know he was talking about R. Weavers because they sell the All-American however Bee weavers stated their bees have no mite problem however they are quite a bit more expensive.

Question: Have yal dealt with either of these companies and if so what is your oppinion of them and Which bees do you prefer the All-american or buckfast from R. Weavers and what do you think of the Texas strain of Bee Weavers?

Any and all advice is appreciated as I'd like to get my order in ASAP. Thank's, Brad


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## alleyyooper

Only thing I know about either is the Buckfast line has to be inter bred like crazy seeing as they got the line from brother Adam over 20 years ago. I have never seen where they may or may not buy breeder queens.

 Al


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## Michael Bush

As far as the bees, the last ones I had from B. were hotter than any bees I've ever seen before or since and I have not gotten any since. As far as service, I bought from Weaver (before the split) and B. Weaver (after the split) and the service was always exemplary. My impression from both the advertising and the feedback from people using them both is that R. Weaver is a little more down home and B. Weaver is a little more upscale and slick advertising. The genetics of both go back to the same Weaver stock and Buckfast stock.


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## RangerBrad

Thank's folks, Michael, what do you mean by hot. This will be my first time with bees so I'm not up on the jargon. I'm assuming it means they are fighting mad all the time. Were they and did they stay mite free as they are advertised(Bee Weavers Texas strain)? Are these companies related? It appears from the posts that they were once the same company.
I appreciate the comebacks thank's, Brad


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## BULLSEYE BILL

I haven't bought any queens from the Weavers for seven or eight years. The last ones I got wanted to eat me alive.  I do have to ask if you really want to buy queens from AHB territory. There are other options.


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## indypartridge

BULLSEYE BILL said:


> There are other options.


I always recommend buying local bees whenever possible. Contact nearby beekeeping clubs and try to find out where the local beeks get their bees, and what their recommendations are.


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## Michael Bush

>Thank's folks, Michael, what do you mean by hot.

Like Bill said. Mean.

> This will be my first time with bees so I'm not up on the jargon. I'm assuming it means they are fighting mad all the time.

Yes. They would hunt me down days later hundreds of yards from the hive and attack me.

> Were they and did they stay mite free as they are advertised(Bee Weavers Texas strain)?

No. The Varroa killed them actually.

> Are these companies related?

The people are related and they were both from the same family business which split.

> It appears from the posts that they were once the same company.

Yes. Back when I started in about 1974 they were one company. Sometime between then and the early 80's they split. I'm not exactly sure when.


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## RangerBrad

Thank's fellas for the replies. Looks like I'll be seeking a diffrent supplier. Brad


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## alleyyooper

I bought Itialian queens from Hardman apiaries in Ga. . They were very nice people to deal with and the queens all were good ones. I also bought New world Carnoloians from Honey run Apiaries in Ohio and they were good queens but they didn't like our cold Michigan winters it seemed.

 Al


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## PupSter

The Weavers split over family issues, the oldest man Weaver, started in 1888 if I recall rightly. He pass it the business on to his son, them to grandson. The Grandson passit onto his 2 sons, all was well.. They, in turn, passit it on to their kids, whom where just cousins, not brothers. They wheren't kissing cousins either, so they split into Bee and R Weaver. 
Buckfast Abby just stopped doing Breader queens a couple/3 years back. They had carried on the work of Brother Adam after his passing in 1996. I have had queens from both and found them to be good queens for up north. I'll be trying some from a Canadian Buckfast breeder this year. I have some 40+ hives headed by Buckfast queens, some lead by the daughters and grand daughters, 95+% of the off-spring queens have been really gentle and great honey producers.


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