How many honey bee species are there? At least 7 species of honey bees are found world-wide with many subspecies. They were originally brought over by colonists coming to the new country. We only have 1 honey bee species in the United States. However, we do have several different races of honey bees — also called breeds, hybrids or strains. But, 2 breeds of dogs Lab and a Poodle can mate and produce offspring.
Researchers often cross-breed two or more different races of honey bees. In fact, that is how some the most popular varieties came into existence. Breeders are always trying to develop a better bee. Commonly, Italian honey bees are mixed with Carniolan honey bees giving us an Italian-Carni mix. Most of us beekeepers will have a colony with mixed genetics.
The label may say Italian, Carniolan, Russian etc, but the fact is that pure strains are hard to come by and very expensive. Truthfully, this may be a blessing because quite often in nature — the pure bred animal is not the most healthy. A mix of genetics may be beneficial in your colonies. Most of the bee packages sold, as well as, nuc colonies are a genetic mix. This is because most queens are open-mated, they mate with any drones in the area. While the offspring may be predominately one race, their genetics are mixed.
This is because of the way the honey bee reproduces. Natural mating takes place in flight. The queen mates with many different drones from other hives. Which type of honey bees is best for a beginner? This is a common question asked by new beekeepers. Especially those searching for a bee that is easy to manage. However, any type of honey bee will sting when they feel threatened. Though, some breeds have a tendency to be more docile than others. Large package suppliers know that their packages will end up in the hands of a lot of new beekeepers.
They tend to breed for a degree of calmness and Italians are often included in this genetic mix. This is one of those beekeeping questions that beekeepers love to argue about. And besides, no one can prove their point for a certainty. Each race of bee has admirable characteristics and some that may not be as well suited to your backyard hive. For instance, some beekeepers have reported good mite control with Africanized Honey bees.
However, having a hive of these highly defensive and dangerous bees in your backyard is not a good idea for most people. Perhaps there is no best honey bee for everyone.
But, by comparing qualities of different races, you can choose the best type to try in your hive. We often call our local bees a wonderful mix of mutts. A little of this and a little of that is a good way to describe the genetic makeup. They are a combination of the genetics of different races and bee hybrids. Yet, any bee can have a concentration of genetic material and qualities from one specific type of honey bee — so this is where we begin.
The scientific name of a honey bee consists of the species name followed by the race. The Italian honey bee is the most common race kept in managed hives.
They are known for creating large populations and being good honey producers. We do enjoy looking at bee images and bee color gives us a glimpse into their possible genetic background. Most Italian workers will be golden with various shades of black stripes.
And, Italian Queens are often a shade darker than the workers. They are very adaptable to various climates but do not do best in tropical settings. Having a mild temperament, Italians have earned a favored place in beekeeping culture.
A prolific bee, Italians tend to grow into large colonies and are good workers. They are not as prone to swarming as some of the darker bees and tend to produce beautiful white cappings on finished honeycomb. However, Italian bees are not without challenges. Their large winter populations cause problems if food reserves are low. If you live in a region with long Winters, you want to be extra careful with winter food stores. A large Italian colony without proper food stores faces starvation.
They are also robbers all bees are and prone to drifting to other colonies. Some strains of Italians are more swarmy during the productive season. Italians have not shown a marked resistance to disease and pests.
It is hoped that other types of honey bees can be breed into the Italian line to improve varroa mite resistance. Good robbing prevention practices and equalizing colony strength are useful management techniques.
Italians are a good choice for beginners. He spent his entire life perfecting the Buckfast honey bee hybrid. He claimed to have eaten a teaspoon of honey a day and in case you don't want to do the math, he lived to be 98! Minnesota Hygienic- Hybrid A result of the work of Dr. Marla Spivak of the University of Minnesota. A few months ago, my wife and I traveled to a queen rearing conference in Ohio where Gary Reuter was one of the main speakers.
Marla Spivak. Spivak and her team were able to produce a trait within breeder queens, a trait where the bees are able to reduce disease by being exceptionally hygienic. Many other beekeepers and breeders have their special line of queens that they are breeding, making claims, that to them, are very true and founded. But to be honest, there is always the flip side. To gain a positive characteristic may mean you gain two negative characteristics.
It is very difficult to hold a pure line or race of honey bees. The more important factor is that they are produced from a colony that has satisfactory or higher traits. No matter which type of bee you go with, you'll need our winter-bee-kind to help your bees survive the winter. Watch us place some on our hives:. All prices are in USD. Please wait Sign in or Create an account. You can save money and shipping can be stressful to the queen. She may be exposed to cold weather or hot weather.
I'll provide videos of my proven methods of raising queens. I've raised and sold queens for years. You might even want to consider selling queens for extra income. Start and finish anytime you desire. Buckfast honeybee. The Carniolan honey bee Apis mellifera carnica is a subspecies of Western honey bee.
Caucasian mountain gray bee. Sponsored Content. Beat the odds with Atticus October 18, Loading Comments Email Name Website.
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