As registered Ontario Queen Breeders we produce a limited number of queens each week that are bred from our gentle hygienically tested and overwintered stock. Due to our central location our breeding yard has been part of OMAFRA's enhanced apiary inspection program for 2 of the past 3 years. In 2017 we were also part of the National Bee Health Survey. That means our yard has been extensively tested by both provincial and federally appointed inspectors, and samples have been taken and lab tested for AFB, EFB, Sacbrood, Wax Moth, Deformed Wing Virus, Nosema, Varroa, Tracheal Mites, African Ancestry Testing, Small Hive Beetle etc.
Our apiary does not have small hive beetle so far in 2019.
We are members of the Ontario Resistant Honey Bee Selection Program and we focus our breeding on integrated pest management and colony health. Our stock is proven extra hardy as we are located on the top of a hill on the OakRidges Moraine in a very windy location. Temperatures and wind speeds in our bee yard are much more extream than most other parts of Ontario. This means that Circling Hawk Queens that survive the windy winters on our farm need to be extra hardy!
We bring in the OBA Technology Transfer team to test our overwintered stock for hygienic behavior and they also assist in gauging colony defensiveness. Published research indicates that the best selection criteria for breeding disease resistant honey bees is through the testing and selection of hygienic behaviour. Hygienic behavior leads to increased resistance to all brood diseases and also decreases pest development.
Queens and 4 frame nuc's are available only from early June though to the end of July.
Update for Aug 2019:
Fill out the form below to order and we'll return an invoice and pickup date. We require a 25% deposit on all orders via email transfer.
Bees must be picked from our Richmond Hill farm. We don't ship bees! Please do not come to the farm to pickup bees without pre-ordering your bees.
