How do they both compare to saskatraz bees? The cluster must be as large as possible to help generate hive warmth during the winter months. VSH Queens from Hawaii. Lack of bee space can be overcome by adding additional supers and allowing more bee space within the hive. Learn more about natures finest sweetner. By far, the Italian honey bee is the most popular bee for beekeepers in the USA. Please log in again. Our bees are grown here in Georgia! Both honey bee species have pros and cons that may sway your decision. They slow up if the nectar/pollen availability lessens and they make a conservative Fall brood nest. Leave us a comment below and share your experiences with us! https://mountainsweethoney.com/difference-italian-carniolan-honey-bees Let’s start by taking a look at Italian honey bees. Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) An organic solution to mites and diseases I have to conclude that they died of the cold. I have to respectfully disagree with your conclusion that the Carnies do not overwinter as well…not sure what your winters in Utah are like? Unfortunately, there is no one clear answer to this question. of sugar water, approx. Hopefully, this is helpful. The subspecies A. m. carnica, from middle Europe, also has been a favored bee stock in the U.S. for several reasons. Online course platform featuring free & paid courses to teach you how to be a backyard beekeeper, create honey bee arts and crafts, & produce incredible honey recipes. (We personally respond to every comment!). You don’t have to look very hard to find resources that state that Carniolans winter better than Italians do. The Carniolans normally will go into winter with a large cluster of bees. Carniolan bees tend to gather nectar at a better rate due to gathering nectar on cooler and overcast days. It has been our experience that the Carniolans produce about 15% more honey then the Italians due to their ability to fly on cool and overcast days. Once the queen begins to lay maximum eggs the hive can run out of bee space within 60 days. At face value, they sound like really great bees and we’d sure love to try them out sometime. Any suggested pros and cons to this arrangement? Specifically, Italian honey bees are known to do the following: Our experience has shown that Italians are the most balanced of any honey bee specie. The queen exhibits typical Carniolan overwintering behavior and her offspring possess the gentleness of our Italians. Just also know that you’ll most likely need to feed them longer in the spring than Italians because they begin foraging sooner.If you live in such a climate, you may find that you’ll have the best results using Carniolan honey bees. For most beekeepers, this comes down to a choice between Italian and Carniolan honey bees. Have you had similar or different experiences with your bees? 3. Swarms of this race tend to disperse more widely than Italians. Bryce is the CEO/CMO of Bear Country Bees and is in charge of marketing, strategy, and innovation. We promise we will not overload your email account. Italian honey bees, of the subspecies Apis mellifera ligustica, were brought to the U.S. in 1859. Italian bees once again are the standard for honey production. They are currently expanding their business to include a restaurant and meadery in town. In this blog post, you’ll learn these differences as well as our recommendation for our favorite specie. There are many differences between the two subspecies of bees; some say the Carniolan queens are better for colder climates. The queen bee will be in a queen cage. The Italian bee is so popular and manageable that they are easy to work with for new beekeepers and experienced beekeepers. My Italian hive that started at the same time is way ahead of the carnies in both drawing comb, brood laying and pollen/nectar stores. That was a long time ago and sense then many other types of honey bees have been brought in. MN Hygienic Queen sources . Thank you for sharing this resource Beesci61! We do not have a favorite but we like to have beekeepers know what the differences are between these two bees. When showing the difference between Italian and Carniolan bee, we also have to take into consideration that there are two strains of Italian honey bee. Thanks for sharing your experiences William. Click now to secure your bees. This is exactly what we do with our nucs (see the “Bee Species” drop-down menu on that page). The Carniolan bees from our own apiaries come from Slovenia and Austria, two countries where this race is particularly popular. Carniolan bees are in the minority of bees in the USA. Italian bees are a more laid back type of bee. The main negative is that the large cluster needs to eat and thus they will eat through their stored honey much more rapidly. If there’s some other arrangement they are making, I’d need more specific details on exactly what they are offering to be able to give you additional advice. Either of these points could be enough to persuade you to use Carniolans. When he isn't obsessing over creating the best possible experience for backyard beekeepers, he loves reading Star Wars, visiting new places, studying and launching rockets, and spending time with his family. they may not deliver on the promises as well as other species). The other thing to consider is that Saskatraz bees don’t have quite the proven track record of others species because they are newer to the industry so it’s hard to be sure of what you’re getting (i.e. These bees were originally from the Carniolan Alps, which are located in parts of Austria and Slovenia. While they don’t winter as well as more aggressive species, they are much easier to work with which makes them a very attractive option for new beekeepers. These Queen bees are a very gentle and prolific dark/black bee variety. Known for their extended periods of brood rearing, Italian bees can build colony populations in the spring and maintain them for the entire summer. Carniolan Honey Bees Carniolans will increase their brood size early and rapidly in the spring (more than Italians) and carry a large population through the active season. Carniolan bee has gray and silver body color. The biggest drawback I can see is that they are much more difficult to come by which often leads to higher acquisition costs. They are excellent producers and use less propolis that other races of bees! Our Carniolan package bees include: a screen box, sugar water container or fondant block, approx. This is another big benefit of using Italians.Over all, Italians are one of the best options for your bees. They expect their first honey wine to be ready in December. Further Reference about VSH bees Unfortunately, there is no one clear answer to this question. Hybrid bees have been produced by crossing several lines or races of honey bees. Most interesting indeed… , Not sure how people came to think of Russians as aggressive. Here’s our score: Now let’s jump over to Carniolan honey bees.Carniolans (often nicknamed “Carnies”) are known for being a very gentle honey bee specie which make them a good choice for beekeepers who want to minimize their chances of getting stung. "Pure" russians are not well suited for the US climate. Curated collection of delicious honey recipes ranging from snacks, desserts, & appetizers to main dishes & full meals. Italian queens begin very early in increasing their brood production. I DO also wrap my hives with insulated blankets AND insulate the tops. They were easily installed into the hive. If this is what the local supplier is offering, there shouldn’t be any problems with that. They tend to desire more storage space so that they can put away greater pollen and nectar stores for the winter. Copyright 2020 Bear Country Bees. Russian Queen sources . Thriving in this unpredictable environment, Carniolans are able to withstand cold winters and can quickly adapt to change. The queen bee is a newly mated Carniolan queen. We have found the Italian bee to be passive and would keep a year round entrance reducer on the hive year round. The best thing you can do is learn the differences between these two species and make your decision from there. Italian bees are especially good for beginning beekeepers, and those who prefer to work bees in a short sleeve shirt to stay cooler. Here are just a few sources we’ve found that provide compelling arguments for this claim: However, despite the seemingly general consensus that Carniolans winter better, we have had a better success rate with Italian honey bees. The queen production of brood is explosive. The login page will open in a new tab. When he isn't obsessing over creating the best possible experience for backyard beekeepers, he loves reading Star Wars, visiting new places, studying and launching rockets, and spending time with his family. The Italian honey bee, known as Apis Mellifera Lingustica, is one of the favorite bee strains. PS-Noticed what you like to sell and letting you know I have a degree in Meteorology and was a Second Officer/Navigator in the Merchant Marine…similar interests!! The Saskatraz honey bee shows some amazingly good promise to do well in the battle. This will happen during the Spring season and into summer. This is great for comb honey production as the combs/frames have little propolis on them and have nice white capping's making a very beautiful product! I did notice that the dead Italians were in small clusters in different areas of the hive. Once the smoke has entered the hive the bees will calm really well. The most readily available bees are the Italian, Carniolan, Russian, Caucasian, Minnesota Hygenic Italian, Buckfast, and Cordovan Italian. Intutive online store stocked with raw honey, decorative beeswax candles, beekeeping supplies, honey bee packages & more equipped with a seamless, secure checkout experience. The only aggression I have seen is to insects in the hive. The Carniolan Queens have a slower start-up in brood production and require more pollen and some nectar coming into the hive. Carniolan Queens . The queen ultimately determines which specie your hive will be. We base our reviews off of our experiences with different products and we’re not afraid to go against the grain when needed.Our ultimate goal is to provide the best possible recommendations for backyard beekeepers. The Carniolan honey bee package includes a wood screen box, 16 oz. Varroa Sensitive Hygienic VSH Queens . The Italian honey bees would try to fend me off when I checked the hive throughout the summer. Carniolan bees are a subspecies of the western honeybee and originated in what is … With that said, let’s look at the following characteristics: popularity of the bee, spring brood production, fall brood production, swarming tendencies, temperament, honey production, and wintering. With that out of the way, let’s jump into the review. Before we get into the details, I want to make sure you know that we try to be as objective as possible when doing reviews. Both species are usually gentle and can be kept in areas with people without problems. NC did an in-depth study comparing the two. In addition, they typically have one of the largest honey crops of any bee specie and who doesn’t want more honey during the harvest? I’m glad that you’ve had better luck with the Carniolans during the winter time. They winter much better than Italians. I know that the Italians had plenty of food AND I treated both hives with an oxalic acid sublimation process before fall. A spoken favorite is the Italian honey bee, known as Apis mellifera ligustica, known to beekeepers as the Italian honey bee. Actually, in Central Europe and certain parts of America, the Carniolan bee gained a privileged reputation for its unique qualities, many beekeepers going as far as calling it the best honey bee … VP VSH Carniolan (Spartan) queens are framed on the Carniolan phenotype. This means that you will have stronger hives going into winter. An adopted beehive can also make for a perfect, unique gift for your friends & loved ones. Italian honey bees are known as the gentler of the breeds as compared with Russian, Carniolan or Buckfast honey bees. These varieties have been susceptible to varroa mite, tracheal mite, and fungal issues such as American Foul Brood. Carniolans also produce more brood than Caucasians and that can lead to swarming … major hive reduction and lost honey production. Carniolan bees are in the minority of bees in the USA. Italian worker bees are light in color, while the queen is a bit darker, which makes her easy to … 2. Italian Honey Bees. The queens tend to begin increasing their brood production once the pollen begins to come into the hive. Italians tend to not gather nectar during cooler and overcast days. Carniolan honey bees generally exhibit the following traits: Because Carniolans begin foraging earlier, they are a good choice if your winter sets in early and you need to give your bees as much time as possible to forage. Italian queens tend to reduce their brood production, as soon as, the nectar sources end. They are very popular because they are the easiest of the honey bees to work with. We keep a ratio of 50% Italian and 50% Carniolan hives in our bee yards. As we all know, the queens will ultimately determine the characteristics of the hive. Our Flash Sales are offered on bee packages to nucs to beekeeping supplies. These are the trade-offs you’ll have to evaluate if that’s a route you want to explore. On-going training articles chocked full of important industry updates, beekeeping how-to's, ways to help save honey bees, and general honey bee knowledge. At face value, they sound like really great bees and we’d sure love to try them out sometime. We did have 2 short periods when the temperature was down to since digits, overnite. In these reviews, you might find things that many others won’t agree with and that’s ok. We encourage all beekeepers to do their due diligence and make sure to select products that best fit their beekeeping goals. “Which honey bee specie should I get?” This is one of the things we get asked the most from new beekeepers. Overall, the Italian has average tendencies to swarm. 3 lbs of bees which include nurse bees, forager bees, guard bees, and drone bees. Carniolan bees, overall, are more aggressive than Italian honey bees. Let’s face it. Italian bees will tend to swarm during their second year within the hive. Get actionable backyard beekeeping advice from experts with more than 15 years of experience. Maximum productivity of the queen is 1400-2000 eggs per day and her weight is 205 mg. Krajina and the Balkans breed spread throughout the world. Carniolan (Apis mellifera carnica) Carniolan bees hail from the harsher, colder climates of northern Europe. So each hive will ultimately have their own characteristics. Breeds of Queen Bees. Again, do your due diligence to make sure that the honey bee specie you pick is the best fit to help you accomplish your beekeeping goals. Why? So…The Italians did not starve, (possibly had a virus though I did eliminate the Varroa). +/- 3 lbs. The Carniolan bee will aggressively defend the hive. Overall, the Italian has average tendencies to swarm. The reason why swarming is a higher risk is due to the following issues: 1. Carniolan Bees. Italians tend to not gather nectar during cooler and overcast days. SMR Queens : an Update - Bee Culture, May 2002. Italian Honey Bee. That said, most of the time you can’t go wrong using Carniolan bees. Carniolans: Honey Bee Specie Comparison, Bryce is the CEO/CMO of Bear Country Bees and is in charge of marketing, strategy, and innovation. Italian. The positive is that the cluster will keep the hive warm throughout the winter season. This was the honey bee that was imported into America and brought about a very calm bee for beekeepers to work. This should not be under-estimated. of bees, which includes nurse bees, forager bees, guard bees, and drone bees. Carniolans tend to need a little smoke to calm the hive when you have to work them. Carniolan queens tend to continue strong brood production into late September. This article is focused on the generalities of each bee. Experts say that this breed combines the good qualities of the Carpathian and gray Caucasian bees. Best of luck! Italian bees will go into winter normally with an average cluster of bees. All the Italian hives have died over winter. He also sells weather and astronomy equipment and loves observing clouds, lightning, and storms. In our experience, Italian bees have an edge over Carniolans in both their ability to successfully winter and produce more honey. They quickly became the favored bee stock in this country and remain so to this day. Most beekeepers have been using Italian, Carniolan, and Russian bees in their apiaries. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, Italians v.s. Therefore we’ll try to express our own experience with the Italian honey bee in an objective and balanced manner. I’m glad to hear that your Italians are doing really well! The Carnies are the only hive that survived and I plan to only have Carnies this year, ( my 4th year). Cordovan Italian Queens . So if you have a cool and overcast Spring season your honey production will be lower. If you like great deals, your going to love our monthly "Flash Sales"! I originally thought the Carnies would not make it because they had half as many bees as the Italians. Italian Queen Cordovan Italian Queen Carniolan Queen. Help save honey bees without having to be a beekeeper by adopting a beehive. 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Cons that may sway your decision from there specie your hive will ultimately determine characteristics... And experienced beekeepers ( my 4th year ) the stock is listed as new world Carniolan are... Way they were designed to reproduce themselves ultimately have their own characteristics have been susceptible to mite! A spoken favorite is the most readily available bees are especially good for beginning beekeepers, fungal. Caucasian bees it ’ s start by taking a look at Italian honey without. To gather nectar during cooler and overcast days include nurse bees, and fungal issues such as Foul! Remain so to this question worker bees, forager bees, guard bees overall... So each hive will be lower the Carpathian and gray Caucasian bees with more than 15 years of experience their... Your hive will ultimately have their own bees for pollination in the USA to supplies. Is also a plus, Buckfast, and Russian italian honey bees vs carniolan in the Sacramento Valley easy. Favored bee stock in this country and remain so to this day to since digits,.... '' russians are not well suited for the us climate dark/black bee variety the review honey recipes ranging from,. More bee space within the hive an adopted beehive can also make for a perfect, gift. Flash Sales are offered on bee packages to nucs to beekeeping supplies you have cool! This will mean that you will need to take a quick look take quick. Than Italians our Italians overload your email account 15 years of experience known as the Carnies the! Delicious honey recipes ranging from snacks, desserts, & appetizers to main dishes & meals... And remain so to this question that may sway your decision from.. Logging in you can close it and return to this page of our Italians Russian bees. Is that the cluster must be as large as possible to help generate hive warmth during winter... M. carnica, from middle Europe, also has been a favored bee stock in this blog,! Hive that survived and i plan to only have Carnies this year, ( possibly had a though! Italians do the dead Italians were in small clusters in different areas of the favorite bee strains both hives insulated... To varroa mite, and Russian bees in a line of very prolific bees Carniolan! If they are much more difficult to come into the hive reducer the!, desserts, & appetizers to main dishes & full meals a wood box... Can close it and return to this question with for new beekeepers a higher tendency to in. Areas of the subspecies Apis mellifera ligustica, known to beekeepers as the queen higher acquisition costs know, queens. Were designed to reproduce themselves a quick look your email account swarming is a positive, in one,. See the “ bee species have pros and cons that may sway your decision similar or different experiences us...
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