If I were in Wyoming I'd get some Carniolans, or breed with the local feral stock.
I have had Buckfasts when I was in Laramie, Wyoming and they did well also.
I have had Buckfasts when I was in Laramie, Wyoming and they did well also.
Posts by Michael Bush
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I had ten hives of Cordovans once. Only one made it through the winter, while the Carnis, Russians, Buckfasts and even regular Italians did fine. While they were beauitiful and quite gentle and very prolific, I was not impressed with their overwintering ability.
The best for a colder climate from my experience seem to be the Carnis and Buckfasts. But the Italians did ok. But the Italians required a lot more winter food and overwintered in a much larger cluster.
The best for a colder climate from my experience seem to be the Carnis and Buckfasts. But the Italians did ok. But the Italians required a lot more winter food and overwintered in a much larger cluster.
At the time I was still in the process of regressing. I don't think I lost any "non-cordovans" except for some nucs I was trying to overwinter.
Maybe it was just bad luck.
Maybe it was just bad luck.
They were all in the same state of being in the process of being regressed.
It's true Cordovan is just a color, but I think all the Cordovans that are available commercially are from a particular line of Italians. That line has some specific traits that are fairly predictable. So when people refer to Cordovans they are usually refering to that particular strain of Italians that is commercially available.
I have not seen other races that were Crodovan. But then the classification of races in the US seems to be based on color anyway.
I have not seen other races that were Crodovan. But then the classification of races in the US seems to be based on color anyway.
>>then the classification of races in the US seems to be based on color anyway.
>You might want to think this over Mike. Just today I read that the Russians aren't neccessarily black. My carnies are all colors but I would know them by their traits. Ditto Italians. From what I see any race can be any color.
But people with mostly yellow bees seem to sell them as Italians and people with mostly black bees seem to sell them as Carniolans. True sometimes they CAME from a black queen and are not black but are still called Carniolans or they CAME from a yellow queen and are not yellow but are sold as Italians. But they (production queens) are all open mated and no one really knows their linage.
>We had the same experiance as Michael with wintering in the north. Ours came from Hawaii, were extremely prolific layers, very good honey producers and easy to work.
Pretty much what I saw too. I liked them a lot until winter came.
>You might want to think this over Mike. Just today I read that the Russians aren't neccessarily black. My carnies are all colors but I would know them by their traits. Ditto Italians. From what I see any race can be any color.
But people with mostly yellow bees seem to sell them as Italians and people with mostly black bees seem to sell them as Carniolans. True sometimes they CAME from a black queen and are not black but are still called Carniolans or they CAME from a yellow queen and are not yellow but are sold as Italians. But they (production queens) are all open mated and no one really knows their linage.
>We had the same experiance as Michael with wintering in the north. Ours came from Hawaii, were extremely prolific layers, very good honey producers and easy to work.
Pretty much what I saw too. I liked them a lot until winter came.
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