Douglas Farm

DC beekeeper Toni visits her friend Charlie (Charles Brandts) at the White House - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Click here to visit her blog post:

http://citybees.blogspot.com/2009/04/visit-with-first-bees.html

Here is a quote from the blog:

"To my mind, Charlie's queen is a good one for the job. The bees were extremely peaceful and gentle, and her pattern was OK, though not gangbusters. In a situation like this, I am all for the happy medium in terms of brood production! The drone brood was in the right place, she seemed to lay more from right to left than in a spiral starting in the center of the frame."

Not mentioned in the article are the two hive's genetic lines. They are USDA Russian and Minnesota Hygienic (Wild Italian). Both lines recived federal funding from the USDA for mite resistance research. A principal reason for their selection. You will notice on Toni's blog that it would seem the White House hives have already produced 2 swarms. Russian  honeybees are well known for high propensity to swarm.