Excuse my late reaction but there are my subjective look on beekeeping in Latvia. There are approximately 150,000 bee colonies in Latvia. This makes 2.3 colony per km2 and 1 colony per 17 inhabitants. Local wild bee (Apis mellifera mellifer a L.) population is practically disappeared. Latvian beekeepers have no favorite bee races, it is possible to find in this country all the European bee races. I prefer Apis mellifera carpatica. These bees have non aggressive colonies and queens can be easily introduced. The main trouble for bee colonies is varroa jacobsoni (possible intensified by o ur climate). Apistan seems to be effective and easy to use treatment. Recently government organized bee disease treatment is at development stage. The territory of Latvia belongs to temperate climate mixed forest zone with high level of precipitation. Average temperatures: in January -5 C, in July +17 C. Often there are quick temperature changes making a trouble to beekeepers. Dadan-Blatt type hives with supers and optional thermo insulation are mostly used in Latvian beekeeping. Thermo insulation allows to change thermo- technical parameter of hive from 0.05 to 1 degree per watt. During summer and autumn these hives satisfy bee needs, but during winter and spring - no. There are two beekeeper teams in Latvia: the first winters bees in hives with addition al thermo insulation, but the second - without. The first team is winner in cool winter, the second - in warm, but both have colonies alive. Honey yield is about 4-14 kg from colony, but beekeepers exploits bees to get not only honey but also pollen, royal jelly, propolis and bee venom. There are developed a simple equipment and technology to get bee venom. This technology can be acquired during one day. The real average venom gain is 4+- 1 g per colony. There are problems with venom realization and during last season venom producing is collapsed. A small beekeeper group caries out a research on bee wintering. As surprise for us we find out that bee fall during winter (91-93, 1oct-1apr) are strictly linea r. The higher fall mainly is caused by diseases (varroa mites). The reasons for smaller fall has no explanation. The controlled hive heating during cold periods of wint er gives no noticeable gain. Almars Berzonis