I installed about 50 packages of Russians (from Georgia supplier) this past April, 4 lbs packages. Fed them copious syrup and mentored my new beekeepers through the initial stages.
I have to say I am disappointed with the result. About 25 percent of the colonies I manage petered out or needed requeening. And the variability of the success of the bees is across the board - I have some clients who are putting on honey supers thanks to healthy colonies, and then I have some who continue to limp along. This is in contrast to the 20 Italian packages I installed which all took off, all layed well, and all will have some honey production this season thanks to our deep flow.
So not really a question, just a statement....If I'm going to lose fewer hives this winter because of Russian genetics, but their colonies are as small as I've experienced in some cases, I'd rather begin with Italians and take my chances in winter or requeen with proven stock in fall. Certainly for my new beekeepers, a slow hive is a frustrating first experience and I'd prefer to see their hives bearded with Italian bees rather than watching a few Russians enter every minute. My thoughts may change next spring as the Russians emerge from their slumber...
Jeff.
it's been a long time since i had my Russians, but i do remember them being smaller hives. smaller did not = less productive. as i recall, they wintered in one deep, but took off early in spring. while the hives were never as big, the production was as good and they were a healthy lot.
maybe it's not the breed but the supplier? were they Russians, or were they just hives with Russian queens?
Excellent question, and I don't want to throw the supplier under the bus. But it was represented that they were Russians and I have to say that given their defensiveness when I put them in the hives at installation vs the Italians, I think the bees lived up to their punchier reputation.
Did you get the Russians and the Italians from the same supplier and at the same time of the year?
Did you get the bees from a certified Russian breeder. There are not that many. or someone that calls their bees Russian?
Here is a link you may be interested in if you haven't already found it:
http://www.russianbreeder.org/ (http://www.russianbreeder.org/)
I see one certified breeder in Georgia and from what I understand they do have a good reputation, if this indeed where they came from.
I have three russian colonies. First three ever. One from a package and two from a requeened split.
I love them. They built up very fast on foundation. Populations are crazy right now. I see how some run 3 deep brood boxes for russians. I split the package hive after 8 weeks. Storing honey like mad.
Right now I love them. Maybe next year I'll hate them. Of the people I talk to it is just that......love or hate with russians.
My local master beekeeper has just changed all this hive to russians queen from USDA breeder stock. He is offereing free bees to people close to him to saturate the area with pure russian drones.
>My local master beekeeper has just changed all this hive to russians queen from USDA breeder stock. He is offereing free bees to people close to him to saturate the area with pure russian drones.
Hate I'm not there :-D