# Commercial Bee Type



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Live and inexpensive. Those are the kind I like. I prefer Carniolan, when I can get them or when I have the money for them. But, mostly I buy what I can find when I need them. If they fit my pocket book.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Seems like many use a "ours" breed.
mike


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## Bradley_Bee (May 21, 2008)

My area favors italians so thats what I tend to use. I feel they're better for a desert region.


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## Beetrucker74 (Oct 10, 2010)

Mutts are the best. they travel thousands of miles with the least stress. but we do reqeen most hives yearly by spliting.


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

Carniolans generally - but I have some VSH/Russians from Velbert which may change my opinion.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

What ever has survived the great collapses of the last twenty years is the best. Thus I can not say I have "Pure" anything. Mostly a Carniolian, Italian, Caucasian, Spanish black mix. Throw in a few Alabama timber rattlers and an occasional Alligator for spunk and you have a bee that will survive most anything! As stock across the nation has become more VSH, honey production has decreased. So you want to find a stock that has the best of both worlds-resistance and production. If I could get them again, Mountain gray Caucasians would fit the bill. But since they are about gone from North America, Carniolians will do nicely crossed with Italians. That is a good honey producing bee. TK


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## pahvantpiper (Apr 25, 2006)

If you want big bees in February to pollinate almonds I'd go with Italians although Carnolians will do. Just be prepared to feed the Italians cause they'll eat themselves out of house and home.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Most operations let their bees "mix" by yard... weeding out the weak and promoting the strong. Operations that only focus on one product (very rare for commercials) usually stick with whatever strain works best for their needs and their areas.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

We mark our best producing hives through the course of the summer then select from those through the fall and winter. By spring we have settled on roughly 15 or so breeders plus a few we purchase most years. Color is largely irrelevant in our process though we like to have a few darker breeders as it seems that the yellower Italian genetics seems to always dominate.


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## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

Most commercial beekeepers have a queen breeder that they prefer, if they buy there queens. Thats how they get the traits that they like .


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