All our colonies started off as either Carniolan or Saskatraz bees. Saskatraz have been growing in popularity, and they are originally from Saskatchewan. They are known for honey production, winter hardiness, and mite resistance. Carniolan have been known in beekeeping for a while and are also known for their colder damp weather hardiness. These two strains are perfect for the PNW climate we enjoy.

However, when a queen fails or dies, a colony will naturally raise a new queen from one of the old queen’s eggs, or a 1-3 day old larvae. Once the new queen emerges, she leaves the hive and heads out on her mating flights, her destination, a Drone Congregation Area. A DCA is a location where drones from surrounding colonies gather and where the magic happens.

It is Interesting that she will fly to a DCA that is further from her own colony than her own drones will fly. This promotes genetic diversity and establishes a resilient, acclimated bee line. Because the drones in the DCA are from other colonies some of those drones are from bee stock that overwintered in the local climate, this further helps create robust and acclimated bees.

Once the virgin queen enters the DCA, she mates with 13-15 drones. She will carry their semen in her spermatheca and when laying eggs, chooses which she will fertilize and which she will not.

One of our goals is to continue to breed and raise bee stock that are good honey producers, acclimated to our microclimate of north Olympia, South Puget Sound, and successfully overwinter.

These are the bees we get to work with.