Description
Northumberland Dark Queen Bee | British Black Queen | Mated Queens For Sale
Bred on the Northumberland / Cumbrian border by Northumberland Honey Co. These bees are known as our Northumberland Dark queen bees, after years of trying to select for a good British Black Queen we have bred a Northumberland Dark Queen which we feel performs well. We are fortunate to be working in a remote area with few other beekeepers and a known population of dark bees – Apis mellifera mellifera.
We also utilise instrumental insemination and work with other breeders of AMM queens to produce our dark queens.
Queen Mother and Drone Mother 2024 Line Information
Dark / Black Queen Bee Breeding
Over the years we have been selecting from the best of these bees, to produce a dark bee that works well in the UK climate, selecting bees based on not only their colouration (which may be varied due to open mating) but also selecting amongst these bees for good temperament, low swarming tendancy, good honey production and disease resistance. We now have dark bees which are as disease resistant, and produce a significant honey crop with dark queen mothers having produced over 50Kg of honey in the previous season.
For the 2024 season we are grafting from dark queen mothers who have shown VSH (varroa sensitive and hygienic traits, culled brood removal at 90% within 24 hours and 100% within 48 hours) from 2022 – 2023 testing a high proportion of the daughters have maintained these traits and we hope this will continue into the traits of the 2024 queens.
Please note, there may be some slight colour variation amongst the queens, although we do select for darker phenotypes. Our stock is raised from our local dark bee population amongst other genetics we have brought in over the years from other dark bee breeders with first and foremost good disease resistance, honey production and temperament. We do have dark bees which have been genetically tested as over 90% Apis Mellifera Mellifera.
How we raise queens
We graft in Queen Right cell starters and finishers, which stimulates the supercedure impulse for raising cells, which is known to produce a better well fed queen larvae than in a rushed stimulated queenless starter set up. Once the cells are sealed we transfer to an incubtor for the cells to hatch. This ensures that the temperature and humidty during development is exceptionally well controlled and the development of the queen is as near to perfect conditions as can be.
On the day of hatching, the virgin queen is introduced to a mating nuc (we use Apideas in preference). These apideas are situated in one of two queen rearing valleys we have depending on the breeding of the queen we are looking for. These valleys are populated with at least 20 drone rearing colonies to ensure the areas are flooded with our drones.
After 2-4 weeks the apideas are checked for successful mating. Once there is sealed brood the queens are then marked for being available to ship or used in our own colonies.
Availability
These queens will be available from end of May through to September. Earlier weeks become booked very quickly so we advise if interested in these queens that you plan ahead and pre-order in good time.
Generally queens are caged on the same day as posting. A lot of producers will bank queens (ie cage for long periods of time in order to manage stock) we prefer to let queens lay fully up to the point of postage in this way you get a queen which is ready to get laying straight away.
Postage or Collection
- Postage – Queens are only sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery as this is a guaranteed and insured service. It is too risky to send queens in the normal post by first class.
- Collection -if wanting to collect, please select this option, but liase with us via e-mail or phone for a suitable collection time. We can usually supply queens for collection at quite short notice. But nonetheless arrangements need to be made to ensure your queens are available for collection at a given time as we are a working bee farm we need to ensure plans can be made for collection that fit into our beekeeping schedules.
Jan Blanthorn-Hazell (verified owner) –
So pleased! My Native Black Bee Queen has settled in beautifully. She arrived safely with her attendants and after a short time in the cage I removed the seal and she is now released and laying well. I needed new genetics as my original Queen and her daughters are very aggressive and constantly swarming
so was my only option for calmer bees. The bees are already covering the 2nd super so the 3rd has gone on. Thank you Luke and Co. for the super service – great support and delivery. First time I’ve bought a Queen Bee will definitely order from Northumberland Honey Co. again.
Guy French (verified owner) –
Great queen.Very calm and placid.Arrived a few months ago.Wanted to introduce more native strain to bees.
Nick Marsh (verified owner) –
Queen and attendants arrived in tip top condition. After a drink and a rest, the queen cage was introduced to the Queenless hive. Thank you Suzie, Luke and Co at Northumberland honey for providing such an excellent service. I will not hesitate to order from you again when the need arises.
Stephen Martin (verified owner) –
As a fairly newbie to bee keeping I collected a cast from last year, Totally useless and lost the Queen in May! As the bees were dark as the description in the picture above I decided to have a dark Queen to replace her. Best decision! the Queen supplied is very productive her offspring a bit feisty compared to my Buckfast but the honey flow soon caught up with my other bees. Will definitely Recommend the Northumberland Honey Company and purchase from them in the future. Many thanks!
Lynne (verified owner) –
I purchased a dark Queen in May very pleased arrived well packaged and all occupants in great condition, introduced and accepted into a nucleus, and ordered a second in July. Very pleased both have expanded well and are very busy. Inquisitive when hive opened but nice to handle.
Ivan Wilson (verified owner) –
Very happy with the two British dark queens. And I’ve just ordered another one.
Warren Higgins (verified owner) –
This is my first year of bee keeping and was Really happy with the level of advice and service I was given. I was desperate for a Queen and the lady I spoke to was really nice and helpful. They sent out a British black Queen next day for me. She arrived the next morning and the hive is now super calm and she is working away nicely even though she didn’t get the best start from me. Highly recommend this company 👍👍🐝
Robert Talliss (verified owner) –
Ordered a good number of these queens and they have been fantastic. Laying straight off the blocks once released, great brood pattern and great temperament.
Robert Talliss (verified owner) –
Great queens, all of the black queens we had last year have been quiet, productive and very thrifty through the winter. They are producing good strong colonies this year.
Peter Young (verified owner) –
Bought two queens last year, arrived beautifully packaged and began laying prolifically within 24 hours to the point they were very quickly moved out of nuc. Appear to have over wintered well. Buying two more this year to replace a nippy queen and split a strong hive. Highly recommended.
georgina.pentecost –
I purchased Northumberland dark queen from you in August last year. She arrived with her attendants in good health. She was introduced in to a fairy aggressive hive which quickly became calm and placid. Lovely to work with. She was easily accepted into the hive, which has done exceptionally well over the winter with very few bee loses on the hive floor throughout the winter. she has produced a beautiful strong colony. Looking forward to the season ahead. Will be purchasing some more of these queens this season. Great service, definitely recommend.
Nick Marsh (verified owner) –
I purchased a dark queen in mid September to save a swarm collected in June, that had failed to supersede. As per my last two queens from Luke & Suzie. she arrived well packaged, active and healthy, as were her attendants. I used the Knight /Tabor/Dews method of queen introduction ( see Dave Cushman Website ) I chose to keep the Queen and attendants together due to my failing eyesight. I had fed the hive 1:1 sugar syrup for a week prior to the introduction. Within minutes of the introduction, the bees were feeding the queen, and after two days all the queen candy had been consumed even though the cage door had been kept closed. I opened the door on day four. By day seven the pollen increase into the hive had increased. It is now February and the bees are collecting pollen from hazel and willow in all weather. Tough bees! I am extremely pleased with my queens from Northumberland Honey and found the company extremely helpfull.