Bee genetics

[omnimirage]

Sure eltalia I found the same. From what I gathered, that had more to do with feral bees living out in the wild, and had nothing to do with beee species living domesticated with apiarists.

Struggling to open a hivelid is rather standard. From what I've gathered, the higher proplosis bees coat the insides of the hives with propolis.

Which parts would you question eltalia?

[omnimirage]

These are bees from one of my hives. They are predominately dark, but I've seen photos of bees that are dark coloured, and also allegedly Apis mellifera ligustica. Are these Apis mellifera mellifera?

https://imgur.com/a/UsWHa

[beepro]

Van, I have no issue with keeping the Cordovan here.   They are incredibly gentle and great honey
producer.  They might shrink a bit during our summer dearth.
Other than that every queen is laying well into the late Autumn.   If I continue to feed them patty subs and sugar
bricks (no syrup) the queens will continue to lay in small winter patches.   We don't have high humidity here other than
on continuous rainy days which we don't have that much this and last year.

I like them so will try to keep a 3 deep going into winter this season.  Then use the Italian mite mauling drones for
the I.I. process with the Cordovan queens.   I hope to develop a more mite resistance Cordovan bees here.  In any case my
mite removal (IPM) method will continue to reach a final conclusion this season.  There are so much to do only when the weather
cooperate.

[eltalia]

These are bees from one of my hives. They are predominately dark, but I've seen
photos of bees that are dark coloured, and also allegedly Apis mellifera ligustica.
Are these Apis mellifera mellifera?

https://imgur.com  /a/UsWHa

..... what <apisbees> said, topped up with DNA testing.
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/agribusiness/grow-help-australia/techniques-costs

Bill