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Charles Harper wrote:
> Russian bees are the only bee I have worked in shorts and teeshirt some
> of the crossed Russian can be testy.
I almost always work my untreated survivor bees in shorts and a t-shirt
(and yes, it is too slow for big commercial situations, I am usually
under 50 hives). I started in 1997 with buckfasts and commercial
Italians, and since 1999 an assortment of most of the hygienic and SMR
lines have been mixed into the open-mated breeding pool along with
Russian crosses since they were available, plus 3 years of
Russian/Russian. I am isolated enough that these and the feral escapees
are the drone pool. Until recently I could keep track of the
matriline, now it's really started to blend and Russian characteristics
are prominent. The testiest colonies were from a commercial Italian
line. I think the Russians mixes have contributed more temperament
variation within a given colony according to conditions. With feed or a
flow on, the hive that was raising stingers one droughty evening can be
gentle as a new swarm on a mid-day flow a week later. With my high
diversity this could also be a patriline factor within the hive. I think
the Russians have gotten a bad rap for temperament. They do like to
bounce off of you without stinging, this could make some folks nervous.
Also, I very rarely use smoke, so that may effect their behavior. I do
put a pollen substitute, vegetable oil and syrup paste on the frames
when I go in to keep them busy. Maybe you just have to bribe them (g)!
Carolyn in SC
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