"So what you strive for is the majority of the bees, give or take, will be Russians if you requeen as needed to keep it 'the majority'
Do Russians look different than bees born from the usual Italians, Carniolans that most of us have?"
jen, as i said, i try to requeen with russian queens from the rhba when i can get them. i am certain that some of my hives are mutt bees and have been, but they are survivor bees of the progeny of what i started with. as long as they do well for me i don't mess with them.
russian bees tend to be darker in color similiar to carn's, but i have seen many variations in color because of the drones the queens mate with.
from jeff:
"I had Russian hybrids both summers of my two seasons of bee keeping.
They both shut down laying in mid summer when we get a two week dearth and they never built up again. Both were treated for mites. and never filled a deep all summer during a flow, and never made any honey.
I am sure I could of managed better, but I have other hives that are doing great with the same management style.
My last year Russian hive I overfed and they swarmed in about a month of being installed from the package. Then shut down and never built up again.
My Russians I have now are little more than a frame or two of bees (after all summer) My carni nuc started after the Russians, built up almost a deep. I don't expect they will make through winter, probably will be dead by Christmas.
My take on them is they are not for new beekeepers, or this far north. Because when they shut down, its game over with our short summers.
This was my last attempt at raising them, I am sure they could do great with a experienced bee keep with longer summers, but not for me ,and not here."
jeff, great observations and probably good decision for you. the russian queens will shut down laying if BOTH natural pollen and nectar are not coming in, and any dearth. and at times i have seen drones being drug out during dearths here in wisconsin. these queens totally shut down on laying. this is the part of managing them that most folks give up on. i have fed them, and i have supplied pollen supp, but given this, russians tend to not build up during a dearth with pollen sups and sugar feed on. it just maintains them. they seem to thrive on natural pollen and not supplements, sugar feed, ok.
i did not think of your short summer, they may not be a good choice for you in your environment. they are very conservative bees and with a good queen, and ample stores, survive here in wisconsin in the smallest cluster that still amazes me, but we do have a longer growing season. btw, i don't treat them and haven't treated mine for mites unless i see a problem. i have one hive now been going strong for about 3 to 4 years treatment free. same queen?...........lol, i don't mark my queens, she could be, all i know is that hive is still as productive and temperamental at times as the day i hived them. was she replaced? could be. but no slow down, frames always looked good, and no drop of population. . minimal mite problem and great honey maker. we have had 2 or 3 good growing seasons here after a few years of drought or floods and rain. struggled to keep my bees during those times, and lost some, but not this one. wintered on less stores (consumed less) than i have ever seen before in russians.
good luck to you jeff, hope you find some breed of bee that works for you!
barry...........it is good to see ya back and thanks for your post!
