Charles Harper wrote:
> Russian bees are the only bee I have worked in shorts and teeshirt some 
> of the crossed Russian can be testy. 

I almost always work my untreated survivor bees in shorts and a t-shirt 
(and yes, it is too slow for big commercial situations, I am usually 
under 50 hives).   I started in 1997 with buckfasts  and  commercial 
Italians, and since 1999 an assortment of most of the hygienic and SMR 
lines have been mixed into the open-mated breeding pool along with 
Russian crosses since they were available, plus 3 years of 
Russian/Russian.  I am isolated enough that these and the feral escapees 
  are the drone pool. Until recently I could keep track of the 
matriline, now it's really started to blend and Russian characteristics 
are prominent.  The testiest colonies were from a commercial Italian 
line. I think the Russians mixes have contributed more temperament 
variation within a given colony according to conditions.  With feed or a 
flow on, the hive that was raising stingers one droughty evening can be 
gentle as a new swarm on a mid-day flow a week later.  With my high 
diversity this could also be a patriline factor within the hive. I think 
the Russians have gotten a bad rap for temperament.   They do like to 
bounce off of you without stinging, this could make some folks nervous. 
  Also, I very rarely use smoke, so that may effect their behavior. I do 
put a pollen substitute, vegetable oil and syrup paste on the frames 
when I go in to keep them busy.  Maybe you just have to bribe them (g)!

Carolyn in SC

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