Bee Races

[Bee Boy]

As many of you know there are many races of bees. I currently keep Italians and am looking for a different race of bee to keep next year. Does anybody keep a race bee that is NOT italian that could tell me about some of their experience with them?



Bee Boy

[Anonymous]

Im interested in this as well.  I've been trying to get first hand information on NWC's, Buckfast, Russian, as well midnites.  I think I will order a NWC queen in the fall if I can get one just to see what happens.

[mark]

i had some carniolin crosses a few years ago. they are much too touchy for my taste.  open the hive up even after smoke and they are lined up along the frames watching like they are daring you to make the wrong move.....come to think of it they are the ones that showed me i'm now allergic to bee stings.

regards
mark

may all your mistakes be new ones

[beemaster]

Literal bee races.. I think Italians would win, they are very aerodynamic  

[Robo]

Over the years I have tried many different Itailans (different sources), Russians, Carnolian, Midnites, Starlines.  To be perfectly honest with the small sample size that most backyard beekeepers have doesn't lead to any real indication of trait differentiation.  There are just to many other variables within breeders that affect results.

Just within Italians I have had many different experiences from very hot ones to extremely gentle.  Massive burr comb to minimal burr comb. Good producers, bad producers.  So it is hard to quantify any other breed based on just a few of each type.

[Agility Mom]

Robo - do you have a breeder you particluarly like?

[Robo]

Robo - do you have a breeder you particluarly like?

Actually,  I don't.

I have dealt with many of the well know breeders at one time or another, and have no complaints.  I did get a drone laying queen once,  but the breeder provided a replacement with no questions.

Most are family owned/run and are good honest folks.

This year I got some carniolan-cross queens from Indian Summer that were nice and dark and are doing fine.  I also have some northern queens on order from David Eyre.