aggresive second generation russians

[troutstalker2]

 I havn't been beekeeping long but has anybody had trouble with russian bees being aggresive after a supercedure or a swarm? I have 2 hives that got real mean after they swarmed last year. I have requeened the worst in aug. and it has helped alot. Is this just coincidental or something I sould expect? Thanks in advance, David

[BjornBee]

I have not seen this.

Many producers (the guys sending out the queens), open mate. Then you throw in supercedure and swarming, and too many variable come into play as to why or how a hive gets "hot". Sometimes , even with the best stock, you will get a hive that seems hotter than the rest. If you take the best queen, and breed 100 queens from her, you will get a few on either end of the spectrum, some hotter and some milder. Many will be in the middle. But the breeder or the beekeeper, should cull out undesirable stock.

If your not going to cull out the genetic variables and control breeding, it can hardly be something to label on Russians. It will happen with every breed.