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About Our Golden West Queens
These queens are:
F1 daughters of Golden West breeder queens
Open-mated in drone-saturated mating yards
Locally conditioned in West Michigan climate
Selected for:
Strong brood patterns
Gentle temperament
High productivity
Elevated hygienic behavior & mite management traits
Golden West stock has demonstrated:
Above-average grooming and hygienic tendencies that support improved mite control and overall colony health.
Why Mite Control Genetics Matter
Varroa mites remain the single greatest threat to colony health and overwinter survival.
Colonies expressing strong hygienic and grooming behaviors:
Reduce mite reproduction
Lower viral transmission
Maintain stronger brood health
Require less intensive chemical intervention
Demonstrate improved overwinter survival
By prioritizing Golden West genetics with proven mite-control tendencies, we are producing queens designed to:
Support healthier colonies with reduced management burden.
Our Breeding & Mating Program
Our queens are produced using a planned, controlled breeding program designed to maximize genetic quality and mating success:
Carefully selected breeder queens
Dedicated drone saturation colonies
Multiple remote mating yards
Controlled graft timing
Extended post-mating evaluation
Queens are open-mated, allowing natural selection of strong drones while maintaining genetic consistency through controlled breeder and drone colony selection.
Quality Assurance
Every queen is:
Fully mated
Actively laying
Evaluated for brood pattern
Held a minimum of two weeks in lay
This ensures:
High acceptance, rapid colony buildup, and dependable long-term performance.
Pickup & Delivery
📍 Local pickup in Pierson, Michigan
Exact pickup dates and times will be communicated via email as each release window approaches.
Reservation & Payment Policy
Pre-order required – limited availability
Orders filled in the order received
Full payment required at time of reservation
Due to the biological nature of honey bees, all sales are final
