Product Overview
3 lb. Package Honey Bees with Saskatraz Queen
"Please note: these package bees will be available for pick up in early April 2025 only"
Package bees need to be transported to your bee hive location in a cool, protected area with plenty of ventilation and out of the sun. If your package(s) are in a tightly enclosed location without sufficient air flow, they will get seriously overheated, which can kill the bees or ruin your queens laying abililty.
Looking for a reliable source to purchase top-quality package honey bees? Your search ends here at Lappe's Bee Supply and Honey Farm LLC. We are currently accepting orders for our highly sought-after 3-pound bee packages, which come with exceptional Saskatraz Hybrid queens. These packages will be ready for pick-up in Spring 2025, so make sure to secure your order soon as they tend to sell out rapidly!
What sets our bee packages apart? Well, apart from being the finest package bees on the market, we believe in transparency. The price you see is the price you pay. There are no concealed charges, and the package price includes sales tax. With our packages, you'll receive all the essential honey bees required for a thriving hive. This includes nurse bees, foragers, guards, drones, and, of course, a young Saskatraz queen enclosed in a hanging queen cage. It's everything you need to kickstart your beekeeping journey!
Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, our package honey bees are perfect for anyone looking to expand or begin their apiary. With our exceptional bees and comprehensive packages, you'll have everything you need to establish a thriving colony and enjoy the rewards of beekeeping. Don't miss out on this opportunity to acquire superior package honey bees. Place your order now with Lappe's Bee Supply and get ready to embark on an exciting and rewarding beekeeping adventure in Spring 2025!
If you are ordering other beekeeping equipment that you would like to pick up at the same time as your package(s), please feel free to place on the same order; however, if you would like to order other equipment and have it shipped to you ahead of time, please place on a separate order from your package(s).
Package Honey Bees Terms & Conditions
We have handy instructions here on how to install your package honey bees into your bee hive.
Saskatraz Honey Bees Information
Saskatraz queen bees have been selected for high honey production, good overwintering ability, temperament, and good mite resistance. The queens lay a lot of eggs and larva, so they build up their population earlier in the spring to bring in lots of pollen and nectar. They maintain a strong workforce all summer long by the continued high brood rearing, and as a result, they have an excellent foraging ability and high honey production during the honey flow. Strong beehives are able to resist wax moths and other bee colony pests more efficently. As with all packages, you will want to feed sugar syrup to them immediately after you place them in the beehive; by doing so, you will increase their beeswax production to get the them to pull the combs on the frames so the queen can start laying quickly. Saskatraz bees easily adapt to most climates, they overwinter well, and they have a very good mite resistance; however, you still need to treat every spring and every fall for mites, since there is no such thing as a completely mite resistant honeybee. They also produce minimum propolis and keep a clean hive with lots of worker bees. Saskatraz queens have been crossed and open mated with different genetic families, including Italian Hybrid and Carniolan, so the coloring can be different on the queens, from a lighter yellow color with a black tipped tail, to a tiger striped color, and even an almost pure black color.
Everything You Need to Know about Saskatraz Bees: A Detailed Review
Saskatraz bees, developed in the heartland of Saskatchewan, Canada, represent a unique strain of honey bees known for their exceptional disease resistance and prolific honey production. This breed has garnered significant attention from apiculturists and those looking to buy bees online, especially for those interested in Saskatraz bees for sale and Saskatraz package bees, highlighting their robust performance in various conditions.
Advantages of Saskatraz Honey Bees
Saskatraz bees, developed in Saskatchewan, Canada, have quickly become a top choice for beekeepers globally, thanks to their impressive array of traits. These bees are not only hardy and productive but also exhibit a range of characteristics that make them stand out among other honey bee subspecies. Below are some of the key advantages that Saskatraz bees offer:
- Gentleness and Easy Handling: Their gentle nature makes them less likely to sting, which is particularly beneficial for both novice and experienced beekeepers.
- Exceptional Winter Hardiness: Adapted to the harsh Canadian winters, Saskatraz bees have an excellent ability to overwinter, making them suitable for colder climates.
- High Honey Production: Known for their superior honey production, Saskatraz colonies can produce up to 200 pounds of honey annually, outperforming many other breeds.
Furthermore, Saskatraz bees exhibit a notable resistance to a variety of pests and diseases, including the dreaded Varroa mite, reducing the need for chemical treatments. Their hygienic behavior further aids in controlling brood diseases. These bees also have a lower tendency to swarm, maintaining stable hive populations and reducing management efforts for beekeepers. Their adaptability to various climates, coupled with their excellent pollination capabilities, makes them invaluable for agriculture and gardening. The combination of these traits not only enhances the health and productivity of bee colonies but also contributes to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly beekeeping practice.
Breeding and Genetic Traits
The Saskatraz bees' breeding and genetic traits are a cornerstone of their appeal, emphasizing a meticulous selection process that ensures robustness and disease resistance. The breeding program, spearheaded by Meadow Ridge Enterprises in Saskatchewan, Canada, and furthered by Olivarez Honey Bees (OHB) in Northern California, employs a blend of traditional and innovative techniques to cultivate these desirable traits:
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Recurrent Natural Selection: This method is pivotal in maintaining and enhancing traits such as varroa mite tolerance and resistance to brood diseases. By continuously selecting the best performers under natural mite infestation pressure, the program ensures that each generation of Saskatraz bees inherits these crucial survival traits.
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Instrumental Insemination and Open Mating: The controlled breeding process, including instrumental insemination, allows for precise genetic selection. Additionally, the practice of open mating Saskatraz queens with diverse, unrelated drone populations in Northern California contributes to hybrid vigor. This vigor is characterized by increased resilience, rapid spring population build-up, and enhanced honey production capabilities.
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Genetic Diversity and Hybrid Vigor: Saskatraz bees benefit from a rich genetic pool, thanks to the crossbreeding between different honeybee subspecies, including the Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) and Minnesota Hygienic lines. This genetic diversity, coupled with the hybrid vigor arising from open mating practices, equips Saskatraz bees with a strong Varroa mite resistance and a high level of hygienic behavior, crucial for disease prevention and overall colony health.
The breeding program's success is underscored by its ability to produce queens available for purchase, each selected for a suite of traits including honey production, wintering ability, temperament, and disease resistance. This meticulous selection process ensures that Saskatraz bees remain at the forefront of beekeeping, offering a resilient, productive, and manageable option for apiculturists worldwide.
Honey Production and Wintering Ability
Saskatraz bees are distinguished for their remarkable honey production and wintering abilities, traits that make them a preferred choice for beekeepers facing diverse climatic conditions. These bees have been selectively bred to exhibit not only high varroa mite tolerance and resistance to brood diseases but also an impressive capability to produce and store substantial amounts of honey, ensuring their survival through harsh winters.
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Honey Production: On average, Saskatraz bees produce between 80-100 lbs of honey annually, with potential yields reaching up to 200 pounds per colony. This superior honey production is a testament to their efficiency and the rigorous selection process for breeding.
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Wintering Ability and Survival Rate:
- To ensure successful overwintering, it's crucial that each colony has a minimum of 80 lbs of honey stored. Beekeepers are advised to reduce hive entrances to protect against cold drafts and consider additional measures such as providing windbreaks, keeping the hive dry, and using insulation.
- The survival rate of Saskatraz colonies over the winter months is notably high, ranging from 80-90%. This is attributed to their excellent wintering abilities, which are essential for bee survival in colder climates.
These characteristics underscore the resilience and productivity of Saskatraz bees, making them an invaluable asset for apiculturists aiming for high honey production and robust colonies capable of thriving in various environmental conditions.
Health and Disease Resistance
Saskatraz bees are celebrated for their robust health and formidable disease resistance, attributes that significantly reduce the reliance on chemical treatments and underscore their sustainability as a beekeeping choice. Key aspects of their health and disease resistance include:
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Varroa and Tracheal Mite Tolerance:
- Natural varroa tolerance without synthetic chemical miticides.
- Demonstrated resistance to both varroa and tracheal mites, crucial parasites affecting bee health.
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Resistance to Bacterial Diseases:
- Increased resistance to American Foulbrood, a lethal bacterial disease.
- Notable resistance to chalkbrood, another disease affecting bee broods.
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Hygienic Qualities and Disease Management:
- Improved hygienic qualities that help in controlling brood diseases.
- When treating for varroa mites with oxalic acid vaporization, it is advised to remove honey supers to prevent contamination, emphasizing their sustainable management practices.
These traits not only make Saskatraz bees a preferred option for beekeepers looking to buy bees online but also contribute to healthier, more resilient bee colonies capable of thriving in various environmental conditions. Their natural ability to resist pivotal diseases and pests, combined with improved hygienic behaviors, positions Saskatraz bees as a sustainable choice for apiculturists aiming for minimal chemical intervention and maximum productivity.
Management Practices for Saskatraz Colonies
Effective management practices are essential for maintaining healthy and productive Saskatraz bee colonies. Beekeepers should adhere to the following guidelines to ensure the well-being of their colonies:
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Regular Inspections:
- Conduct inspections every 7-10 days to monitor for signs of disease, pests, or other issues. This frequent check-up helps in early detection and management of potential problems.
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Feeding and Swarm Prevention:
- Feed colonies with sugar syrup or pollen patties during nectar dearth to support their nutritional needs.
- To prevent swarming, which can reduce the colony's productivity, add frames for space, remove queen cells, or consider splitting the colony.
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Hive Management:
- Ensure proper bee space and air movement with inner covers to prevent condensation and frost build-up, crucial for overwintering success.
- When diagnosing issues within the hive, avoid making multiple changes at once. This approach helps in identifying the root cause of any behavioral changes without introducing too many variables.
By following these management practices, beekeepers can support the health and productivity of their Saskatraz colonies, leveraging their exceptional traits for successful beekeeping.
FAQs
Are Saskatraz Bees Suitable for Novice Beekeepers?
Yes, Saskatraz bees are considered a good choice for beekeepers of all experience levels, including beginners. These bees are valued for their combination of desirable traits found in common honey bees, making them adaptable to various locations. Key features include their rapid population growth in spring.
What Exactly Are Saskatraz Bees?
Saskatraz bees are a hybrid variety known for exhibiting the Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) trait, which plays a crucial role in controlling varroa mite populations. These bees can identify and remove infested pupae, thereby hindering the reproductive cycle of varroa mites and maintaining mite levels below harmful thresholds.
We sell packaged honeybees to customers all around the Midwest United States, including listings in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. We bring our packages here in a custom designed, climate controlled truck that keeps the bees at just the right temperature with the right amount of fresh air, which guarantees that your bees will be the healthiest bees possible! We have over 25 years of experience in package bees and queen breeding. If you are looking for live bee hives, you can't beat our packaged bees!
