Of all the traits that a queen producer can select for, such as mite resistance, honey production, hygienic behavior, etc., none of these are very worthwhile without the key trait of gentleness. Whether keeping bees for fun, as a hobby, or as a full time profession, every beekeeper, given a choice, will always choose gentle bees over aggressive bees! Without gentleness, none of the other desirable traits really matter. Beekeepers need to feel comfortable around their bees in order to be successful in their endeavors. Peace and comfort in working with bees is nearly impossible when bees are mean.
At Wildflower Meadows, we take selection for gentleness very seriously. Our breeder stock has to be not just gentle, but incredibly gentle. The breeders need to be held to a higher standard than the average production stock, since they will be the mothers of all future queens.
When we work our breeder stock we expect zero signs of aggression. With gentle breeder stock, the result is gentle offspring.
