Goldies vs Darkies -- What is the dif?

golddust-twins · July 25, 2008, 06:04:37 PM

So here I am into my second year of beekeeping with my golden bees (Italians) and just lovin it except for the mites. Dec. 2007 my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said "MO BEES". I picked what I wanted and waited till they were ready to pick up in May. They are a survivor bee no specific race. One nuc the bees look kind of like my yellows but prettier almost the color of strawberry blond hair. The other 2 nucs of bees are darkies. They all have a great temperament. I don't even smoke to open the hives and they don't seem to mind me moving the comb around to check things. The thing that is driving crazy is this and this hold for all 3 new hives: -- When I look in sometimes there is no brood, no larva. Then I'll go back in about 10 days two weeks and there it is. I am always finding capped queen cells (supercedure and swarm) then the next time poof gone like they were never there.
The 2 dark bee hives do not draw the comb as well as the lighter bee hive.

I know now there are differences between bees (and I thouhgt they were all the same...lol). So what other differences are there between the goldies and darkies.
Corinne

Frantz · July 25, 2008, 09:32:37 PM

Hellooooo? Would someone answer this sweet girls question. I opened one of my hives ealier today and found blackies in with my goldies for the first time. What is up with that? Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting the answers. What do think it is the weekend? Come on you brilliant beekeepers.
Thanks all...
Frantz

golddust-twins · July 25, 2008, 09:44:52 PM

Frantz,
Are the blackies drones? Drones will shamelessly drift from hive to hive and gain admittance. The entrance guards let them pass.

Corinne

Frantz · July 25, 2008, 09:58:21 PM

Mine were all girls. The new blackies were just mixed in with all my goldies. I need to get some pics, but was excited to see your post as it was exactly my question as well.
F

golddust-twins · July 25, 2008, 10:09:02 PM

Could be you have a new queen who mated with dark drones. I am not sure how that works genetically. But it sounds like there iwas dark influence when the queen mated.
Corinne

TwT · July 25, 2008, 10:10:05 PM

Quote from: Frantz on July 25, 2008, 09:32:37 PM
Hellooooo? Would someone answer this sweet girls question. I opened one of my hives ealier today and found blackies in with my goldies for the first time. What is up with that? Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting the answers. What do think it is the weekend? Come on you brilliant beekeepers.
Thanks all...
Frantz

all that means your queen was open mated and mated with a dark colored drone from a dark hive, most hives will be like this when open mating queens or at lest a good chance, there is a little difference between behaviors at time between dark bee's and gold bee's, dark bee's tend to fly in cooler weather but again it depends on the species of bee, it can be long to explain this all the way through but we can do it in steps. but when you have itailian queens and open mate them then there is any telling what she will raises but half will look like the queen on average.

like golddust-twins says about no brood at time then brood that could be a Russian strain, they tend to shut down completely at time during a dearth but if a small flow starts they raise again, some Russians bee's also tend to swarm more than others, it hard to say not knowing what kind was ordered and where from.

golddust-twins · July 25, 2008, 10:30:00 PM

TWT,

Thanks a bunch. My bees came from Old Sol Enterprises here in Rogue River Oregon. http://www.oldsolenterprises.com/ ; JBJ told me they were a survivor bee no specific race--They are hygenic with a small broodnest in the winter. Not like the Italians which is what I was use to.

Thanks again.
Corinne

Moonshae · July 25, 2008, 10:38:32 PM

From what I understand, Carnis and other dark bees tend to shut down brood production when there isn't a flow, to conserve resources. Italians (golden bees) just keep going, apparently assuming that things will pick up soon enough, and presumably, on the Mediterranean, they would. The downsides to both are that if you get a late flow, the dark bees will be behind, building up once the flow is on, rather than at a peak population already. The goldens will be ready for that late flow (if it comes) but will consume all the resources that a large population does.

I guess it depends on how your flows are structured which bees are best for you...see how they both do, over all, for a whole year, and then you'll know which you want to have more of and which you want to nix from your yard.

I'm installing some NWC queens into some splits next week, so I'm looking forward to making this comparison myself. :)