🐝Breeding The Mite Resistant "Golden West Queens" With Eric Oliver - Olivarez Ep.2

🐝 What are Golden West Queens? Golden West Queens are mated honey bee queens bred by beekeeper and researcher Randy Oliver and his family in Northern California. They are part of a selective breeding program run through their operation, Golden West Bees. Key characteristics 1. Mite resistance (major focus) These queens come from colonies selected for their ability to survive with little or no treatment for varroa mites. The breeding program began after finding a “zero-mite” colony in 2017, and since then they’ve been selecting daughters from the most resistant hives. Today, many of their colonies maintain very low mite levels naturally. 2. Gentle temperament They are bred to be calm and easy to work, often manageable with minimal protective gear in good conditions. 3. High productivity Colonies headed by these queens are selected for: Strong brood production Fast population growth Good honey yields 4. Field-tested performance These bees are not just lab-selected—they’re tested in real commercial conditions, including almond pollination and honey production. 5. Genetic diversity over appearance Unlike some breeders, they don’t select for color or looks, but instead for performance traits like health and productivity. To Summarize - Golden West Queens are: Hardy, productive, gentle honey bee queens bred to naturally handle varroa mites better than typical commercial bees. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our favorite hivetool, favorite books, and all kinds of other beekeeping tools & equipment that we like and use from Amazon can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/tennessee... Want to send a donation to help us make more and better videos? You can send any amount securely via Pay-Pal here: https://www.paypal.me/tennesseesbees FTC Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored video. All opinions are genuinely my own. This description contains Amazon and Audible affiliate links and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. It doesn't cost you any extra. Thank you for your continued support to keep Tennessee's Bees going! #Beekeeping #Beekeeper #Honeybee 00:00 How Golden West Queens Were Born 03:54 How Is The Genetic Integrity Maintained 05:47 Is The Extra Labor/Monitoring Worth It? 07:35 Talking About the Breeders/Genetic Diversity