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