Honey bees are sold as one of several major race classifications (Italian, Carniolan, Caucasian, or Russian) or some hybrid. The characteristics of each race carry some pros and cons. We recommend that beginners buy locally sourced bees, if possible, regardless of race as they will be adapted to your environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The race names derive from where the bees originated. Other types of bees are available but in our experience, these are the ones you will see most often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When deciding which type of bees to buy it helps to understand some of the differences between them. While individual colonies differ, there are some general traits you can expect to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Italians are the most common race of honey bee in North America<\/strong>, being adaptable to a wide range of climates. They have brown and yellow bands that may vary in color depending on the strain.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n While all honey bees may sting<\/a>, the gentle nature of Italians makes them an excellent choice for beginning beekeepers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To date, our bees have all been Italians because that’s what our local beekeeper had when we started out. Unfortunately for us, they have not exhibited a low swarming tendency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carniolans are very popular in the northern United States. They are dark in color which can make the queen difficult to locate. Carniolans and Italians are the 2 races offered by a distributor in our area where they are both in demand.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Caucasian bees are dark with brown spots and gray hairs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Russians were bred primarily to be resistant to Varroa mite infestations. There are various hybrid lines of Russians making their traits less consistent than other races. In addition to resistance to Varroa and tracheal mites, Hygenic lines may be more disease-resistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russians may not breed as well as others. Regular requeening may be necessary to ensure you have a varroa-hygienic queen.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Africanized honey bees were not mentioned in the introduction because they are not bees you should be looking to buy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Africanized bees resulted from a cross-breeding experiment conducted in South America intended to increase honey production. Some of the bees escaped and they have since spread up into the southern United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They are very defensive and aggressive and are sometimes referred to as “killer bees”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AHB are not killer bees in the sense they are roaming around looking to attack unsuspecting prey. Their defensive behavior is a significant magnitude greater than other honey bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if your honey bees get a bit aggressive you can walk away for a break. A couple of bees may follow you a short distance before they break off. Africanized honey bees are more likely to attack in a large swarm and over a much longer distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AHBs can cross-breed with local honey bees causing a rise in the aggressive behavior of a colony. If your hive becomes “hot” and you think it’s a result of AHB you should requeen the hive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n VSH stands for Varroa Sensitive Hygiene. The Varroa destructor mite is a significant problem in honey bee colonies. Varroa mites attach themselves to larvae in the brood cells and to bees throughout the hive.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n The mites weaken the bees and spread viruses such as the deformed wing virus. Left unchecked, Varroa mites will destroy your colony. They are probably the number one threat to your hive’s survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bees bred with VSH will seek out and remove infested pupae making the hive significantly resistant to Varroa. As a result, VSH bees are less likely to need other forms of treatment to diminish the Varroa population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information on varroa mites and VSH bees, see Varroa Mites: A Complete Treatment Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Saskatraz bees are a hybrid race bred and developed by The Saskatraz Project<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project was established in 2004 in collaboration with Saskatchewan and Manitoba queen breeders. Bees were bred for increased honey production, wintering ability, tolerance to mites, and resistance to diseases and viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are getting a package of Saskatraz bees this year. We’ll post information on our website about how they perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We think the answer is simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kind of bees you should buy is the kind available from a reputable local beekeeper<\/strong>. Finding bees locally makes this an easy decision for you. You have enough other stuff to figure out as a beginner.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n If you cannot find bees locally, check with major online suppliers<\/strong> as we discuss in our article on where to get bees<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I mentioned, in our area Italians and Carniolans are most common and very popular. Your first colony will likely be one of these. (Since we’ve worked only with Italians so far we are planning to try some Carniolans next time around.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you learn more and expand your bee yard you may find yourself experimenting with different races to see if you have a preference. If you can’t find a local beekeeper, ask local beekeepers where they got their bees and who they recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\nItalian Honey Bees (Apis mellifera ligustica)<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Advantages:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Carniolan Honey Bees (Apis mellifera carnica<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Advantages:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Caucasian Honeybees (Apis mellifera caucasia<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Advantages:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Drawbacks:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Russian Honey Bees (Apis millifera)<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Africanized Honey Bees (AHB)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are VSH bees? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What are Saskatraz bees?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So What Kind of Bees Should You Buy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n