Anyone breeding Caucasians this year?

**JoeMcc** · 02-19-2009, 05:36 PM

Anyone going to have Caucasian queens this spring?

Joe

**eliahu** · 11-19-2010, 07:00 AM

i am caucasian bee keeper i have 75 beehives in Georgia

**JoeMcc** · 11-19-2010, 08:27 AM

For those interested in the Caucasian line...

Sue Cobey from UC davis has imported semen from the Caucasus region. She is working with WSU also and has breeder queens in quarantine. It will be nice to get some true caucasian stock.

http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/news/cobeyturkeytrip.html

JoeMcc

**brushmouth** · 11-19-2010, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by eliahu

i am caucasian bee keeper i have 75 beehives in Georgia

eliahu,
Can you describe their habits, traits,production,etc.?
TIA

BM

**BeeCurious** · 11-19-2010, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by JoeMcc

Anyone going to have Caucasian queens this spring?

Joe

David Winters

**eliahu** · 11-20-2010, 09:11 AM

they are very gentle hard workers not agressive. their production is unique.
their wax smells realy good. when i keep them sometimes i dont use helmet and never used gloves in my life, but they use a lot of propolis.

**brushmouth** · 11-20-2010, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by eliahu

they are very gentle hard workers not agressive. their production is unique.
their wax smells realy good. when i keep them sometimes i dont use helmet and never used gloves in my life, but they use a lot of propolis.

Some of my first bees as a teenager were caucasian's, I can't recall what they did as to production but had beautiful white combs.
I lost them overwinter and I stuck with italians after that.
At that time there were only the two races common in the US.
Italian and Caucasian and "Dadant Midnights", which were only select bred
Italians. (I believe)

" Production is unique" Not familiar with the term, is that above average?

Agree, more bees sting from getting pinched because of the gloves IMO.
Long as you are willing to accept a few wake-up stings now and then.

BM

**tct1w** · 11-21-2010, 07:22 AM

Larry Tate or LT on the forum might have Caucasian queens in the spring. I bought one from him this past summer. They are laid back bees for sure Peace Dave

**JoeMcc** · 11-21-2010, 03:54 PM

I can't wait for the new line to be available. When Sue gets the green light I will certainly try them.

**Skinner Apiaries** · 11-22-2010, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by tct1w

Larry Tate or LT on the forum might have Caucasian queens in the spring. I bought one from him this past summer. They are laid back bees for sure Peace Dave

Oh really? Larry, if you're reading this, and have Caucasians, you're holding out on me!

I hear they make good comb honey bees

**kbfarms** · 11-22-2010, 07:05 PM

[QUOTE=BeeCurious;596091]

David Winters

Stop..no...no...no...no...not him.... here on this discussion group also!!!!!!

**chillardbee** · 11-25-2010, 08:15 AM

I think your thinking of carniolans are good for comb honey because of there scant use of propolis where as caucasians use a lot of propolis and could track it over the comb. I think my main concern about the caucasian bees are there suseptability to nosema but then again, maybe the caucasion bees are a little hardier now then they were back then.

I had caucasian once a long time ago, they were the most gentle bee I had ever had, and quite a beautiful steel grey bee too.