Colony Question

nepenthes · January 10, 2007, 10:11:52 PM

I was curious cause I'm about to buy my packaged bee's, and I was thinking Just Russians, but If you guys think it would be good to monitor both hives with Russian and Italian queens to see the difference in MY area then i would do that instead.

Finsky · January 10, 2007, 10:51:02 PM

If you feel that you like to look both what they are, you should do what you like.

I have read about russian so much that I do not want them to mix my yard. Italians are tens of stocks. What ever bee is, it's swarming tendency is enough for me.

nepenthes · January 11, 2007, 09:59:12 AM

I see people saying Just Italian care to say why?

lively Bee's · January 11, 2007, 10:49:37 AM

I have both and see no problem with eaither.

randydrivesabus · January 11, 2007, 01:59:41 PM

try both. for the reason that you said.

SteveSC · January 11, 2007, 03:22:01 PM

For no other reason than the Russians are Varroa \ Tracheal ( spell ) mite resistant I'd go with the Russians. They also over-winter better than Italians from what I've read.

I just ordered 3 NUCS of Russians for the spring - they'll be isolated in a location away from my Italians. We'll see how they do..

KONASDAD · January 11, 2007, 04:31:16 PM

The reason I went w/ Italians in both hives is uniformity. I wanted the most docile bees as a beginner too. If you have a few hives, all w/ different breeds, you wont know what is the cause of the differences between the hives. If one produces more honey, is it b/c its a dif breed, or b/c its closer to a field? By having all of the hives closely situated, you'll focus on beekeeping skills. Just my thoughts.

Finsky · January 11, 2007, 05:35:18 PM

Quote from: KONASDAD on January 11, 2007, 04:31:16 PM
you wont know what is the cause of the differences between the hives. .

That is well thought. It is important to learn to know, what happens in colonies. That is basic of beekeeping. And they react so many ways.

Swarming is allways bad for beginners.

randydrivesabus · January 11, 2007, 05:58:37 PM

after Konasdad's comment i want to change my vote...or get 2 of each.

Kathyp · January 11, 2007, 06:13:31 PM

my Russians must have requeened themselves at some point. now i have a mix. this year, i'm not spending the extra on the Russians because i can always requeen with them later.

i will say that mine are active even now, at much lower temps than i expected. if temps are an issue, that might be something to keep in mind.

Kirk-o · January 11, 2007, 06:31:06 PM

I'm dis-apointed with all the bees I've purchased the last 3 years they were all Italians
and Italian Queens.They all failed or died.I have good luck now with wild bees Feral bees they are dark color
kirko

nepenthes · January 11, 2007, 06:33:27 PM

Thank you allot for the input, While some of you said Not to get 2 types of bee's I completely understand you're argument, but I still got the Russian and Italian Queens.

Mail has been put out for the bee's thanks again

nepenthes :)

Finsky · January 11, 2007, 06:43:10 PM

Quote from: kathyp on January 11, 2007, 06:13:31 PM
if temps are an issue, that might be something to keep in mind.

You are somewhere in south and I have frost here.

I have not noticed that temperature is an important issue. In our climate plants are not able to form nectar in low temperatures and under 16C bees cannot collect good pollen balls. Bees just risk themselves if they fly on bad weather. That temperature is strange thing. Often bees stop foraging in evening even if sun is shining, temperature is high but it seems that flowers have no nectar. Sometimes bees fly almost to sunset.

Bees gather nectar from field if it is there. So I think.

But it is good hive's sign if it starts foraging first and stops last. Some are even good even they start last and stop first.

I had a hive which was mad to fly. It seemed that it only rushes in and out. It got few honey in early summer. But when I took it to rape fields it was the first which was full of honey.

Swarming is worst. When swarm escapes so escapes honey yield too, no matter how busy bees are.

Finsky · January 11, 2007, 06:55:27 PM

Quote from: Kirk-o on January 11, 2007, 06:31:06 PM
I'm dis-apointed with all the bees I've purchased the last 3 years they were all Italians
and Italian Queens.They all failed or died.

If you want to be 100% sure that queen will survive do that:

1) take a frame where is emerging a lot new bees.
2) shake all bees away.
3) Make a nuc over the main hive and put a screen between nuc and main colony that they are not able to sting each other.
3) put all entrances and holes closed that no bee can come out or in.
4) Let new bees emerge over night
5) give a new queen to bees and stuck all holes.

Nuc get dowstairs heat and aroma and new bees emerge. After one week they are like same colony and then you may kill the old queen.

This I do if queen is valuable and there is a danger that hive kills it.

It is good too that when bees make emergency cells, let them cap cells. It takes 5-7 days. When cells have capped they accept new queen very well. As far as they have queen larvae to be feeded they attack easily on new queen. - That is very usefull point.

.

Kathyp · January 11, 2007, 07:09:37 PM

we are below freezing and going into the teens 20's for the next few days. what i noticed is that they do cleaning flights and clean hive at a pretty low temp. at 34 degrees they will come out. at 38 or so, they really go to town cleaning out dead bees, etc. i had not expected they to do much of anything if the temp was under 40 degrees. i hope that this also means that they will survive in greater numbers over the winter.....we'll see.

can't say for sure since i was running away, but i think there must be billions of them in there from the way they chased me last time i was foolish enough to open the hive!! :-)