# My Russian Breeder Queen



## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Here's some pics of my Russian Breeder Queen:


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

Nice Pictures, thanks for sharing! I didn't realize you had russians also, interesting...


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

I only have this one right now, but will be requeening half my production hives with her daughters this year. By the way, that brood is all hers...


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## newbee 101 (May 26, 2004)

I would be very happy if my Russian layed like that. Nice Pattern!


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## Jesus_the_only_way (Mar 17, 2006)

Very nice... I hope you have a few of those Russians this fall when I requeen a few hives
Tom


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## dug_6238 (May 9, 2007)

*My "Russians" were a different color?!?*

The Russian queens that I got from Hardemans were pretty well black in color...what gives?


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

I dont't know....mine came from Glenn's.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

dug,
I have seen lighter and darker lines of russians. Many are distinctive of some type of "tiger striping".
Hardemans sells both italians and russians. Nothing else. If I were them, I would make sure that the breeder line I was using for my russians, would be of a darker line. Not that records don't work, but italians should look italians, and russians should look like....well, something other than italians. 

If I have two equally good queens that I am considering grafting from, and both are russians, I usually will pick the darker line. Just a preference thing.


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## dug_6238 (May 9, 2007)

*Thanks for the note...*

Thanks Peggjam and BjornBee. I'll try to take a picture to post next time I'm over at that yard. Your info on the variations makes me a little more at ease.

Oh, Bjorn - I went back up on the mountain tonight to pick huckleberries - not a bee to be seen on that vetch. Must have found something better. Still not sure what kind of vetch it was. I will say though, finding those bees led me to a much nicer huckleberry patch...go figure.

Peggjam - I know where I'm coming next time I want queens.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

"If I have two equally good queens that I am considering grafting from, and both are russians, I usually will pick the darker line. Just a preference thing."

Me too, I like the darker queens for some reason.


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## Cristian Radut (Jul 15, 2007)

*about the queen*

Your queen looks more similar to an italian one... i'd say it's rather an Aurea (sort of ligustica) rather than Russian. 

Russian Queens, pretty similar to the Caucasian ones (they have the same area and climate), must be brown with some black rings, and the bees are grey.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Cristian Radut said:


> Your queen looks more similar to an italian one... i'd say it's rather an Aurea (sort of ligustica) rather than Russian.
> 
> Russian Queens, pretty similar to the Caucasian ones (they have the same area and climate), must be brown with some black rings, and the bees are grey.


Considering she is a breeder queen, bought straight from Glenn's, I have to go with what they say she is, a Russian. I have light and dark italians, some are very black, some are very light, and some are "tiger striped" wide variation. I would suspect the same is true in the Russian line. I don't think anything in nature has a must too it, as there is really a wide varitation in color.


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## Cristian Radut (Jul 15, 2007)

Hi!

I've discovered this forum pretty recently and looks well done. If you have patience with my english, ... well, we can have some useful discutions...

First, let's agree of how do we make difference between two different races. 

I operate, for exemple, with Carniolan bees. Their queen is brown, almost black coloured. This is the original colour of a Carniolan Queen. If some try to tell me that a C. Queen has a lighter colour, i don't accept that. Also, if some try to sell me a Black Italian, i'd also be very surprised, since i know Italian Queens are originally light coloured.

The variations of the colour of bees from a hive reveals that their queen isn't a pure race, as she's been mated to drones of different origins. 

PS: Do Glenn's have a site?


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## Cristian Radut (Jul 15, 2007)

I've found it with google... except the fact that the queens are twice more expensive as in my country, it seems to be a good job over there.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

CR,
Glenn sells breeder stock and only provides A/I (I/I) queens. They are one of only a few that offer this service. Most queens from the many queen providers are open mated and sell for 15 to 25 dollars. Certainly no where near the hundreds of dollars that Glenn offers for their tested stock of I/I queens.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

The good thing about these queens is they will turn out pure Russian drones, and so will their daughters. The more purebred drones are in an area, the greater the chance that open mated queens will mate with these drones. The resulting queens from these matings will produce a more uniform hive color. I already have more II queens ordered for next year.


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*Yours looks a lot like mine *

Glenn Breeder Queen


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*Brood*


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*Brood*


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*New queen from graft, just started laying*


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## Robert166 (Mar 12, 2005)

peggjam

Is that HSC frames she is laying in?


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Rob-bee said:


> peggjam
> 
> Is that HSC frames she is laying in?


That is a PF100 from Mann Lake.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

CFF

Their're proably sisters....I like mine, and yours is looking good also, they should turn out some really nice queens. I have posted a pic of one of the daughter queens laying in a mini nuc, not a big frame, but she's laid it up solid.


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*Russian*

The numbered disc on the back of my Russian queen was 69. 

The Russian / SMR was 05. If you really like dark queens, the Russian / SMR daughters are almost black and have just as nice a pattern. 

I need to get some more pics of there daughters cause there laying up a storm


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Mine is numbered 85, I think. Got her June 13th, and ordered more for next year. I haven't checked on all the first grafted queens yet, but I like what I have seen so far. Now I just have to figure a way to get these girls through the winter.


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## Carolina-Family-Farm (Aug 2, 2005)

*Sisters*

I got mine the first week of June. They very well may be sisters


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