Greetings

I think it is useful to point out that NO bees have been imported from
Italy, Carniola (Slovenija), or Caucasia (Republic of Georgia) since the
1920s. It is even longer since bees were imported from Spain and Northern
Europe.

So the names italian, carniolan, and caucasian must be taken with a grain of
salt, at least in the US and areas where these bees are not native. This
stuff has been pretty well mixed for decades. 

Attempts have been made to keep them "separate" based on color. Color is not
a really indicator of type. Even in their native regions, these bees all
varied in coloration; in the US, the italians got yellower, and the
caucasians got blacker -- through selection here.

The DNA tests of the Africans show "markers" (genes) from these various
types, but the overwhelming evidence shows that they have much more in
common with African bees than the types they have crossed with. 

In other words, it makes very little difference whether the bees have
caucasian, carniolan, or any other markers. What makes a difference is the
preponderance of African genes, and the related African behaviors.

And I don't mean just that they are mean. They swarm much more often, store
less honey, run all over the place, sneak into other hives. You don't want
these bees. 


Peter Borst
Danby NY

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