# Temperament of Russian bees



## dulley (Apr 20, 2009)

I have six hives in my backyard and I want to make a split and start a seventh. One of the members of our bee club has an extra Russian queen. I have heard they are more aggressive and defensive and may not be good for a backyard. I have my veggie garden out there and my Italians have never been a problem for me. Has anyone had experience with Russians - good or bad. Thanks, Jim


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## jengelsma (Mar 17, 2010)

We've had Russian hybrids from Walter T. Kelley for the past 5 years or so and they do tend to be more aggressive than the Italians, but not too bad. They tend to build up slower in the Spring as well, but do produce honey once they get going. 

You can always try the Russian queen out and replace her later if the colony is to hot for your situation. Another option is to let your split raise its own queen.


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## knoxjk (Sep 10, 2010)

Russians are alot more aggressive!!! The bigger they get the more aggressive they get..been my experience.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I had yellow russians from the glenn apiaries breeder stock, they where gentle as kittens. Purchased through Noble Apiaries.
The one queen made it through 3 winters, she was just superseded in the last month.


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## Raven Lane (May 12, 2011)

I started with two packages (now hives) of Russians last spring. They both overwintered although I did not harvest any honey from them last year. One swarmed early last fall and is trying to swarm this spring. I don't know what it is like to have anything else, but my neighbor keeps Italians and they seem to be a bit more gentle. I had two stings last year and only because I was being unintelligent. We walk close to the hives without a problem and my husband mows without issue. Hope this helps.


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

Have Italian, Russian, carniolan, cardovan, and open mated mutts. I find that individual queens and hive conditions have more to do with defensiveness than race.

Russian hybrids tend to be a crap shoot. Some can be more defensive than others. Pure Russian lines tend to be more gentle.

Hybrid Russians are more defensive during the first round of brood rearing and should not be evaluated for defensiveness during that time.

You won't know until you try. I feel the swarm tendancy is more of an issue than defense. Need stay on ahead of them. My Russian colonies don't build up as fast in the spring until the first flow of the season, then look out. They will fill two deeps in days. I run 3 deep hives with Russians.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I tried Russians, but I'm not sure if they were diluted by open mating or what. It was a long time ago and they were not my favorite. They were runny and flighty, low production and fairly defensive.

But I've heard just the opposite from others who liked them. There seems to be a variant in most races of bees.

I have some really hot hives, great producers, and they tested to be mostly Italian. It seems every hive has it's own personality and won't necessarily fit the mold of expectations. I also think certain queen breeders have stock that will fit your needs.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## oregonbeek (Mar 30, 2010)

I had 2 russian/carniolan hybrids and one hive was really agressive (we called it angry hive) and one hive was really docile (we called it happy hive). Both of those hives absolutely hated plastic foundation and avoided it at all costs... yet they built out the wax foundation extremely well. I just thought I would note that if you are thinking about Russians.


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## thenance007 (May 25, 2011)

I ended up with a Russian queen last August when my hive absconded. She was all that was available, a friend had just purchased 20 of them from NY state to requeen his hives. My intention after reading that they were agressive, swarmy, and runny was to requeen them this Spring. By the time queens were available, I had fallen in love with them. They are gentle, overwintered well, built up quickly, fly at 45 degrees, didn't swarm (I checkerboarded) and are doing very well in my small cell. The hive is 6 feet from my front door (pointed away). I've had an occasional curious young bee check me out as I sit on the front porch, and one stung me on the back of the neck one day as I entered the house. They got a bit defensive for a few days when the carpenter bees pestered them, but a couple of swats with my flyswatter solved that problem, and they gentled right back down. I'm very happy with them!


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

I have had USDA Russians for 3 years now. I worked them without a T-shirt last week. No stings. I have had some devil of Italians russians, and other bees. There lies the advantage of raising your own stock. We get rid of hot hives.

Keep em off the ground from skunks, smoke 'em right, pick a nice busy day and enjoy. I love them!


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## Tom Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

I've had both good and bad experiences, and started with USDA Russians in 2011. I requeened my original hive that following August with another new "pure bred" Russian queen in the split. They were gentle as they built up in the fall and a joy to work. My experience is that they have amazing abilities to build up super fast, when they want to. They tend to start later during the nectar flow but once they do, look out. Once she starts laying it's super fast. Last spring I made several splits. But during the height of the nectar flow when all should be happy and gentle they were quite defensive. I thought it was me, and kept blaming myself. They were defensive all year long. I've found that they really charge you when you remove the top, but if you remove the top box from the bottom box, both tend to settle down immediately. I remove the top cover only when I'm ready to work that box. This year they're even more defensive, I'd say "aggressive", and both queens seem to be failing (drone brood intermixed with worker brood). I'm disappointed, for sure, given their age. The splits I made off of them last spring, letting them mate with the local girls, have been gentle as lambs, and I've seen those Russian/local hybrids grooming each other for mites, too. I won't be buying any more Russian queens, but am devoted now to local bees. In my opinion, they are not as gentle as Italian or the local bees. The feral bees I have are my most gentle and productive. The Russians, though, did survive a heavy mite load and overwintered, but then again so did my local hybrids. One Russian hive is going gangbusters, but it was the most defensive this weekend. The other is coming along, but far less productive. Neither Russian hive made a lot of honey last year. I'd rather be greeted with happy local mutts that make more honey that I can share.


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## MelanieWoosley (Nov 11, 2012)

My russians were nicer than my Italians ! Could have worked them with no protection!


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I have heard that pure Russian bees are not too aggressive. But, once they supersede or swarm the second generation can be pretty hot. They also over winter in smaller clusters but, build up very fast and can swarm at the drop of a hat in the spring. So unless you keep requeening with queens from one of the certified Russian breeders you will end up with some sort of hybrid pretty fast. That's my understanding any way. You guys feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Noah's Ark (Mar 28, 2012)

I had 3 Russian hives lost one this winter. They are gentle and easy to work. I have friends with Italians and I find them much more aggressive. The hive I lost got stuck in a corner away from honey stores in a cold snap. Aside from that they tolerate mites very well, winter on a small cluster and do not need much for stores. I have let them make their own queens when they split so I guess two are Russian feral cross. However, most of the bees are dark in color so I think they still have much of the Russian blood in them. My daughter works the bees with me and she has never been stung, I don't wear gloves and unless I am going to be digging down into the lower boxes I only wear a net. I think I was only stung maybe 6 times last year and it was always on my hands. I like them, but as others have said, they do like to swarm if you don't watch them and make splits and don't produce as much honey as some.


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## alblancher (Mar 3, 2011)

Russians are becoming the bee of choice down here. They build up rapidly when they get started in the spring, winter in a very small cluster and produce well. People ask if they produce more honey. The answer is yes, simply because they tend to survive mites better then other bees. More hives survive so you harvest more honey. The individual hive harvest "may" be a bit lower but the apiary production tends to be higher.

Split them often to prevent swarming. Interrupting the brood cycle also helps slows down the mites. 

Since few yards are pure Russians and you can't guarantee that your new virgin Russian Queen will mate with Russian Drones the clubs are recommending re-queening with true Russian Queens every 12-18 months or so. With Russian it is important to maintain as pure a stock as possible.


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## TrooperGirl (May 27, 2019)

I am a new first year bee keeper. I have a Russian hive and Kona Hawaiian hive. BOTH of mine are extremely gentle. I light the smoker and use it ONLY if I have to. I have noticed the last couple of times I have NOT had to use the smoker. My Russian Girls when I check out their hive at first I will hear a buzz and then the tone changes to a hypnotic humming. Everyone is calm and going about their business. Its the same for my Kona Hawaiin Girls. Its a beautiful thing, Love those girls!!


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

My experience with Russians is all bad. I find that they will staple your socks to your ankles, to steal a phrase, seven out of five days working them. I really hate seeing novices get bees that they will soon be afraid to work. Caveat Emptor. If you want them, joy to you!


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Nearly twenty years ago I worked Russians as part of a research project. The bees were in yards belonging to one of the original members of the Russian Bee Breeders Assn. He always said that they were every bit as gentle as any Italians and in our working that proved true. He said that the hybrids were a different matter. And….later on in my own yards, I discovered firsthand the truth in that.


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## MJC417 (Jul 26, 2008)

My experience with Russians is all great. I purchased queens from a Russian Bee Breeders Assn member and grafted from overwintered hives. Never had a problem. They're not as lethargic as Italians and overwinter a lot better for me. At this point they are most likely a mix of Russian / NWC.


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## Deepwoods (Jan 9, 2019)

I bought a couple of Russian nucs this spring that originated from a member of the Russian Bee Breeders Assn. They are as gentle as pussycats. Little or no smoke is needed to handle them. I've been stung twice, it was from my mistakes, not their attitude.


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

This comes up here at least once a year.
My first experience with R bees was 15 yrs ago with Qs from a CA operation that was not a member of the RHBBA.
Nastiest bees I have ever seen.
Since then I have only purchased certified R Qs from members of the RHBBA.Although I mostly raise my own Qs,every year I buy a few RQs to keep my stock diversified(different lines are crossed each year).
Every once in a while I get a feisty hive from open mating and a Q must be pinched,no different than any other bees.
The bees can be a little runny on the comb and can be a bit testy if they start robbing during a dearth.

Sat I attended Mass Beeks field day and the hives were provided by a RHBBA member.Open hive demonstrations all day.Although protective equipment was recommended,maybe 10% wore veils.I saw nor heard of any issues. 
Since I was picking up a few Qs,I took the last session at the R breeders station where he was to demo setting up a starter/finisher in a double but pulled off a split when he found that the hive had swarmed ,there were not enough bees and it was loaded with cells.We tore apart the colony.

Afterward,we looked over at his shade canopy and had a good laugh.He had forgotten to put his battery box (with maybe a dozen caged Qs)back in the screened nuc box he was keeping it in and there were easily a thousand bees flying and clustered on the table.
Since I wanted a nice yellow RQ,we pawed through the box,pushing bees aside with our fingers to peer into the CA mini cages looking for a yellow one.No protection,no stings,other customers standing in line.

I went home,popped on my veil(I'm not stupid),brushed off the attendants and installed 2 Qs in 5 fr splits I had made the day before.No smoke,no fuss,in and out,no problems.

Only buy certified Qs from RHBBA members. 
http://www.russianbreeders.org/members.html


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

I watch video channels from the Russia proper routinely.

The real issue they have with hot bees - when Southern imports get crossed with the local Russians.
Talking about AHB levels of defensiveness. 

Keep in mind, historically the primitive keepers just kept the bees in the bee trees (where they had to climb up).
Think for a minute - working the bees 10-20-30 feet above ground on a tree trunk - with hot bees and no good protection this would not have been possible.
That should give some idea of the original Russian bee temperament.
The regular Rs are defensive enough, but respond to smoke very well.

The nastiness is about random hybridization mostly.


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