Some years ago I was given a NZ Italian queen.  I was pleased with her a first. She filled 2 brood boxes and 3 supers with bees which were as docile as flies. They raised lots of queen cells which I used to requeen some of my local mongrel colonies (with which I was pleased).  They produced no more honey than the locals, they ate their heads off in winter and the resulting hybridising set me back about 5 years in obtaining good tempered and productive local bees.

Chris

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