Queens from Southern Oreland

**GRIZZLY** · 13-11-2010, 10:26 AM

I'm interesred in buying a few Galtee Queens next year.Is this allowed in Scotland or are they subject to the same quarantine regs as imports from say the Continent ??

**Rosie** · 13-11-2010, 10:39 AM

I believe the rules for Southern Ireland imports are the same as those for any other European country. Your main problem though is that Galtee don't normally export any more except for a few exceptions in Northern Ireland. Apparently the authorities in the South are so under-manned (or perhaps disorganised) that the necessary formalities are just too tiresome to be worth the effort.

Rosie

**Jimbo** · 13-11-2010, 11:55 AM

Hi Grizzly,

Try Andrew Abrahams on Colonsay. He has Amm and may sell you a few queens

**gavin** · 13-11-2010, 08:22 PM

I wonder if there is anyone on here with bees derived from Galtee queens who would be willing to share?! Butler cages sit nicely in padded envelopes, and I've successfully sent a queen by Royal Mail. On the other hand, a piece of comb with eggs - and a little queen-raising knowledge, repeated in the subsequent year - and you're sorted. Not exactly sure how that would work (eggs in queenless nuc to get them going, then graft the young larvae?) but I'm sure that it could be done.

**Jon** · 13-11-2010, 10:43 PM

Eggs are practically indestructible.
I once removed a piece of brace comb which had eggs in it and then about 3 days later I used it to make a starter strip in an apidea. The bees managed to raise a few larvae from the eggs even though the brace comb had been on a shelf for a couple of days.

**GRIZZLY** · 14-11-2010, 10:09 AM

Thanks everyone for the info.

**Jon** · 14-11-2010, 11:27 AM

Grizzly.
I have 1 queen which is a daughter of a Galtee and 6 or 7 grafted from my own best ones which are crossed with mainly Galtee drones.
I hope to breed quite a few queens from these next year but I don't want to count chickens as they have to overwinter yet and most of the colonies are just nuc sized.
I have seen the Galtee bees in the Galtee apiary and also elsewhere. They are lovely bees to work with and very calm on the comb. I have only ever seen them being worked bare handed.

This is one of the demonstrators opening up a hive for curious bystanders.
Note the level of protection.

opening-up..jpg