Carniolan Bees First off, the cardinal rule of beekeeping: All other rules start with the word "usually". Carniolans are a gentle bee. They build up very quickly in the spring, and then do not produece a lot of bees during dearth periods. Accordingly, they are popular in areas which get short, intense, nectar flows in the spring (e.g., Maryland). The downside to Carniolans is that they can build up too fast in the spring, and therefore they require more intense swarm management than Italians. Caucasian bees may be dark like Carniolans, but they have much later buildup. Don't use them if you have an early honeyflow - the colony won't be large enough to get it. As to the different races of Carniolans, the only thing I can say is that I haven't met anyone who likes the Yugos. Personally, I use New Worlds, but I know folks who like the Hastings. W. G. Miller Gaithersburg, MD