I think that we should try to raise our own queens from the hives that
do the best in your area no matter what area you live in, or what kind
of  bees you have. The bees that adapt to your particular climate are
going to be the best bees.  After several years of selection you should
have the bees that have adapted to your climate.  Next best bet is to
get bees or queens from somebody in your area that has raised their own
queens for several years.
 
Just an opinion -----  everybody has one!
 
billy bee
----------
> From: Michael Reddell <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Strains of Bees
> Date: 28 ao{t 1997 01:58
>
> The difference that first comes to mind between Italians and all the
others
> is INTENSITY.  The Carniolan and Caucasian colonies I've had never
seemed
> to match the intensity and vigor of Italians.  Maybe it comes from
all
> those thousands of years foraging in oregano and thyme :)
>
> A more tangible and rational difference is winter brood production
and
> spring buildup.
>
> Italians are from a warm temperate climate with mild winters.
Consequently
> they don't always completely stop brood rearing even in cold winter
> conditions.  They maintain a large winter cluster and expend stores
trying
> to maintain a small brood patch in the center of the cluster.  This
isn't
> ideal in a climate where you have a lot of snow and cold weather.
Even
> though it isn't ideal, they seem to manage.  I always kept Italians
in
> Idaho (sometimes as cold as -20 F) and Seattle (sometimes as cold as
16 F),
> and they did fine.
>
> On the other hand, Carnies are from the mountains of central Europe
where
> winters are much more harsh.  They shut down the brood nest in the
winter
> and maintain a smaller winter cluster to save honey stores.  You
would
> think this would put them behind the curve in the spring, but they
build up
> really fast and catch up with the Italians by mid spring.  This rapid
> buildup tends to encourage swarming.
>
> I live in a climate similar to Italy, and I don't like Carnies for my
> location.  We only have a few weeks when the bees can't fly and those
weeks
> are scattered over about 3 months.  Even when they can't fly, it's
more
> because of rain than cold.  There are minor nectar flows throughout
the
> year, and buildup starts in December.  I reported the very first
swarm on
> the Bee List on February 24th this year. I see bees foraging on
Eucalyptus
> and other available crops every month of the year.   It drives me
nuts to
> see a Carnie or Caucasian hive languishing through the balmy winter
months
> because of an internal clock designed for hard weather.
>
> The Utah Rockies are a different story - Much more like the Alps,
where
> Carnies came from.  I didn't know enough back when I was in the
Bitter Root
> Mountains of Idaho to try Carniolans, so I kept Italians there.    I
don't
> have much experience with Carnies in cold weather, but it makes sense
that
> they would be a more winter hardy choice in such a location.
>
> A few other minor differences are that Italians propolize,  rob, and
drift
> more, Carnies are a little less productive and a little more gentle
on
> average.
>
> My suggestion is that you start with one or two of each and see what
you
> think.  Pretty soon you'll end up as strongly opinionated as the rest
of
> us!
> Michael
> ----------
> >...Their are two different
> > varieties of bees I am looking at for this springs hive.  They are
the
> > Italians and Carniolans.  I live in the rocky mountain just south
of Salt
> Lake
> > City (Utah the Bee Hive State).  Can some of you talk about the
> advantages and
> > disadvantages of these two strains.