From: "huestis" <buzzybee@capital.net>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 11:56:34 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: BEE RACES AND REGRESSION

Hi,

> Clay, this depends upon whether or not you aim to manage and keep them
> separate by same differences. In the natural, bees break out into small,
> medium and large scenarios just like other animals do, including people.

No they shall be crossed. I couldn't possibly ever attempt to keep them
separate.

> Nature and natural selection would quickly change what was brought over, if
> replication of home conditions could not be duplicated.

This is what I want to happen. So they adapte to my area. Not being any
particular race but a strain that is breed for here.

Here, because the Italian are by right,
> normally the smallest of the European bees, they should go to the smaller
> for main averaging; and since the carnolian are among the largest, they
> should go the opposite for main averaging. But in real life, this in the
> size of
> the bee is quite small and could mean only the difference in .1mm or .2mm
> sizing, i.e. 4.7-4.9 or 4.8-5.0. ;but in the end what will live realistically
> at
> your latitude and altitude will prevail, if no usage of any dopes (various
> treatments) is followed.

Dee, should I regress mainly with Italian/ Italian cross this year as they
will pull out the smallest cells. Then on year two use seed combs to make
carniolan go to 4.9mm. In time their will be no particular race, only just a
local strain selected to the darker side. I cannot keep the bees run on two
separate sizing for each race/strain(impossible) It will have to be 4.9 just
for ease of management.

> though I could be wrong. And Hewitt early on measured bees around the turn
> of the 1900th century in the upper USA North EAst as 4.9mm.

Well that says it clearly 4.9 it is(for all)!

> However if a tendency to 5.0mm or larger, already knowing that we could not
> hold our bees (they lived with parasitic mites, both types), but the
> secondary infections did them in, due to increasing stress loads in bad
> years, then the larger bees will show you over time.

They will not live above 5.0 I am very certain. I was trying to carefully
hint at the fact that carniolans are larger and "could" possibly survive at
5.0 without secondary diseases doing them in. However I will not keep a
"pure" race. I will keep a mix (local stock) that must all be on the same
cell sizing so frames can be interchanged and 5.0 is to much of a gamble,
I'll shoot for the smaller.

> up that way in the long run, on a Natural system. So basically, just follow
> the bees and regress them down and see what lives and what characteristics
> fall by the way side and which ones get stronger.

Good advice.

Clay