# Russian Hybrid Bees



## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

They have shown that they tend to winter with a smaller cluster, and winter better than the large clusters that Italian's usually winter with. Some of this is due to better use of winter stores....ie...not as many mouths to feed.


----------



## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

JOHN HINCHMAN said:


> I Have Just Order A Package Of Russian Hybrid Bees And I Here They Have A Smaller Colony Than The Italians And Do They Take The Cold Better ?


The Russian bees also stop brood rearing when the nectar flow stops. This breaks the cycle of mite reproduction, resulting in fewer mites. Hybrid Russian bees are better than Italian bees, but pure Russian bees are even better.


----------



## JOHN HINCHMAN (Feb 28, 2008)

Just A Question Do You Use Two Deeps Or Do You Use One Deep For The Brood On These Bees? And When Going In To Winter Do You Use Just One Deep.


----------



## shawnwri (Jul 31, 2006)

I used 3 8-frame mediums for my hybirds going into winter, compared to my Italians that had 2 10-frame deeps. Both have survived so far. If they can make it another month there should be lots of nectar for them.


----------



## JOHN HINCHMAN (Feb 28, 2008)

Do You Ever Clip The Wings On Your Queens AND WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER USING ONE DEEP AND ONE MEDIUM JUST A QUESTION ONLY?


----------



## Nate (Dec 16, 2007)

*deep + med*

A lot of people use 1 deep and 1 med as the brood chamber so I guess you could do that if you wanted.

(do you always use caps like that?)


----------



## James Henderson (Jun 20, 2005)

Last fall /winter I ran one deep and one medium for all my Russians. Didn't have to feed sugar water over the winter as they had plenty of stores. They had plenty of honey through the fall winter and into February for the first part of the nectar flow. 

My Italian and Buckfast hybrid colonies had two deeps and used up most of their honey stores. I ran sugar water on all colonies including the Russians for about 3 weeks total in late Jan and early Feb to give them a little boost till the clover, maple, willow, mayhaws, and blueberries, started flowering.

I don't clip any of the wings of my queens. Last summer a small clump of bees fell off a frame I was inspecting. Never saw the queen till I was beginning to close up the hive. She flew in and landed on the cinder block hive stand. She was in the small clump that fell off the frame. Gently put her back in the brood chamber.


I have 10 more Russian nucs on order from Charlie Harper in Carencro, LA. http://www.russianbreeder.com/

I was rather proud that I didn't loose any of my 15 colonies over the winter.

Cell phone started ringing with swarm removal calls first of this week back in south Louisiana. Southwest Bee Supply and I are already catching swarms here in Tucson, AZ.


----------



## Alex Cantacuzene (May 29, 2003)

*Russian Hybrids*

Hi, well our two Russian hybrid hives seem to be doing just great. We use two deeps through the winter and have just reversed the brood chambers. Temperatures are doing their up and down thing but they are eager and flying in the fifties. Next week we will give them some 1:1 syrup and see if they will kick things into gear. All, including the Carniolans, have some honey reserves but it seems that the Russians have more. We are quite happy with them so far. Take care and have fun.


----------



## JOHN HINCHMAN (Feb 28, 2008)

Thanks For All The Info, I Guess I Was Thinking That I Am Starting With A 3 Lbs Package Of Bees And Want To Start A Winter Nuc From This Bee Hive And That They Have A Smaller Cluster In Winter I Here, Would You Use One Deep And Then A Medium So You Can Find The Queen And Make A Split When The Hive Is Strong And Get The Two Hives Strong Befor Late Fall, Would You Keep Them In The Same Yard I Have My Italian Bees At, This Is Just A Question?


----------

