Northern Midwest Beekeepers- WI, MN, ND, MI or anywhere with similar climate

[charlotte]

Just wondering what's the best (in your opinion) for our area.  If you wouldn't mind including what you like/ don't like about your breed and what you do for wintering that would be great too!!

Thanks everyone!! Hopefully this will be interesting for newbies and others just to see what everyone else has.

[Jim 134]

  I live in N. Central MA. the keep local wild mix and a few Italian's for new blood




       BEE HAPPY Jim 134 

[danno]

I have Italians and ferals but will be buying some russian queens from N Carolina for splits next year

[budsbee]

hello i have 5 hives of bums this year. 5 hives and only 5.1/2 gal of honey where was the rain when we needed it.

[Michael Bush]

I was in USDA hardiness zone 4 when I had bees in the Panhandle of Nebraska and in Wyoming.  Although I think Laramie should qualify for zone 3, being at 7200 feet up in the Rockies and the wind never stopped howling.  I was fond of the Buckfasts and Carniolans, but I don't have a good source for Buckfasts anymore.  If you can get some from Canada you can probably be assured of no AHB.  Now I'm in zone 5 and I still like the darker bees better for colder climates.