Subject: Bee Varieties

From: Keith Nybakke <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 23:22:16 -0500

I have been studying beekeeping in preparation for going into beekeeping
as a hobby. My location will be western Minnesota. I would like to keep
only 2-3 hives, wintering them outdoors and taking only as much honey as
the bees can easily spare. 

So far, I have gotten excellent information from this forum, as well as
many other sources.  

However...

What are your thoughts on bee varieties? There is silence on this, from
what I can see. The books refer to three varieties plus hybrids. The
Italian strain and the Caucasion strain both seem appropriate for my
intentions. The hybrids seem attractive, but I know almost nothing about
them. This is a topic that I find very interesting. Is it a topic of
discussion among experienced beekeepers?

I appreciate any info.

Thanks,
Keith

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 27 Nov 1996 17:55:54 GMT

As a hobby beekeeper (as in food on the table is not dependant on
production) I am using a shotgun approach to what variety I will end up
with.
I have carnolians , italians, buckfast, and hybrids
In the spring I make my divisions from the strongest survivors
in the fall I requeen from nukes that were raised from the best producers
I move my nasty bees to the out apiary that is most rural and don't make
splits or nukes from them.
In the long run I think I will end up with gentle bees that produce well
and winter strong..

Tom

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From: dvisrael <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 22:54:52 -0600

> In the long run I think I will end up with gentle bees that produce well

Sounds like a lot of work (guesswork too) to me.  Do you have any
scientific data?  Where do you get your queens or do you let them do
their own thing?

I order my queens from someont that has already done all the work and
have gentle good producing bees, I hope.  My two hives that did so well
last year were 1995 swarms that did their own thing. They still have the
same queens.  I have four hives with store bought queens.  I see what
happens and post it here next year.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Buzzing to be your friend,
don