Brian R Tucker wrote:
>
> I read in the book The Hive and The Honeybee that there is a italian strain
> that is almost all golden it has only alittle bit of black in the end of it's
> abdomen. does anyone known if anyone in the states sell this golden bee?
>
 
This sounds like 'Cordovan' Italians.  The normally black parts are a
reddish brown, giving the entire bee a gright golden appearance.  I have
several colonies and really like them.  It's a recessive trait and tends
to disappear when the bees supercede the queen (unless most of the
available drone stock is cordovan too.)
 
Glenn Apiaries [(619)728-3731] in the San Diego area breeds and sells
them and CF Koehnen and Sons [(916)891-5216] up near Chico does too.
Mine are from Glenn, and I know people with Koehnen stock, and both are
good. They both advertise in the journals.
 
Michael Reddell
[log in to unmask]
http://www.hotcity.com/~mwr