Varroa resistant Russian Bee

[beren]

I've looked about for this strain of bee for a while but it doesnt seem like anyone in Britain has them. Does anyone know of anywhere you can obtain Russian Bee's?

They have existed alongside the Varroa mite for alot longer than any of our softer strains. Consequently they are about 50% more resistant to Varroa. The USA has been mixing them with their Italian bees since the year 2000.

Would like a chance to cross them with my Buckfast stock.

 

[RoofTops]

To the best of my knowledge they can''t be imported into the UK - at least the ones from the US can't. Not sure about Russia but if it could be done I am sure someone would have tried before.

Personally, I am a bit sceptical about the claims, but then I do play the role of Forum Sceptic at times. If it was such a super bee everyone would be using them.

 

[beren]

To the best of my knowledge they can''t be imported into the UK - at least the ones from the US can't. Not sure about Russia but if it could be done I am sure someone would have tried before.

Personally, I am a bit sceptical about the claims, but then I do play the role of Forum Sceptic at times. If it was such a super bee everyone would be using them.

It is far from a super bee. Its very aggressive and poor at producing honey. The only things it has going for it is its tolerance to Varroa and ability to withstand severe Russian winters. The Americans seem to think crossing it with their Italian stocks makes a good Varroa resistant honey producer.

Wouldnt it be nice to be able to import a different strain of bee like this and see what you can make of it?

 

[beren]

For anyone who is interested, here is a link to a good short article on different bee strains and their pro's/con's.

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/PDF files/1.12.pdf

Its American but its still relevant to UK

 

[Crg]

I've looked about for this strain of bee for a while but it doesnt seem like anyone in Britain has them. Does anyone know of anywhere you can obtain Russian Bee's?

They have existed alongside the Varroa mite for alot longer than any of our softer strains. Consequently they are about 50% more resistant to Varroa. The USA has been mixing them with their Italian bees since the year 2000.

Would like a chance to cross them with my Buckfast stock.

Quite a lot of testing with them has been done with the Buckfast stock:
primorksy site:http://perso.fundp.ac.be/~jvandyck/homage/elve

 

[oliver90owner]

Wouldnt it be nice to be able to import a different strain of bee like this and see what you can make of it?

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to import African bees and see what you can make of it?

'I think not' is the answer the American continent would give now they have 'Aficanised bees'. I wonder how much they wish it had never ever happened?

 

[Crg]

Wouldnt it be nice to be able to import a different strain of bee like this and see what you can make of it?

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to import African bees and see what you can make of it?

'I think not' is the answer the American continent would give now they have 'Aficanised bees'. I wonder how much they wish it had never ever happened?

Varroa isn't as big a problem with AHB.

 

[beren]

Is it not that the more aggressive the bee the better it deals with Varroa?

 

[beren]

Wouldnt it be nice to be able to import a different strain of bee like this and see what you can make of it?

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to import African bees and see what you can make of it?

'I think not' is the answer the American continent would give now they have 'Aficanised bees'. I wonder how much they wish it had never ever happened?

I would love a colony of africanised bees. I wouldnt worry about my hives getting stolen so much with a box of those brawlers on guard

 

[wojciech]

In the talk that Kim Flottum gave to Lincs BKA last autumn he mentioned that he with associates is trying to breed varroa resistant bees and went on to include "Russian" bees amongst the stock that he has used to breed varroa resistant bees.

Am I wrong in understanding that what the Americans term as "Russian bees" are known in Britain as Caucasian bees ?

 

[Crg]

Is it not that the more aggressive the bee the better it deals with Varroa?

No. Completely unrelated characteristics.

 

[punky3612]

I think it all has to do with selection when splitting for good daughters.

 

[Finman]

.
Russian bee is not resistant to varroa. Its habits are odd and the crossings will be more odd.

 

[Adam]

Varroa isn't as big a problem with AHB.

They have a shorter brood cycle which means the bee emerges before the varroa have matured. If you could find a way of breeding from bees that have a shorter pupation time they also would be less susceptable to varroa.

Adam

 

[beren]

In the talk that Kim Flottum gave to Lincs BKA last autumn he mentioned that he with associates is trying to breed varroa resistant bees and went on to include "Russian" bees amongst the stock that he has used to breed varroa resistant bees.

Am I wrong in understanding that what the Americans term as "Russian bees" are known in Britain as Caucasian bees ?

Yes they are two different strains. Caucasian came from eastern Europe whereas the russian bee comes from right over on the eastern side of Russia where the Varroa orginated.

This link gives some details about the differences

http://www.beesource.com/resources/usda/the-different-types-of-honey-bees/

 

[Finman]

.
No one knows from where Russian bee comes from. It has been trasported to east from Europe. Probably it is a mixture of different races.

 

[Crg]

They have a shorter brood cycle which means the bee emerges before the varroa have matured. If you could find a way of breeding from bees that have a shorter pupation time they also would be less susceptable to varroa.

They do have a shorter brood cycle, and emerge before most varroa have matured.

Other sub species of bee also have a shorter brood cycle not just A. m. scutellata, and selecting for it is easy. I'd be very surprised if nobody is breeding for that already to see if it helps.

 

[Finman]

I'd be very surprised if nobody is breeding for that already to see if it helps.

It has been now genetically found that scutellata blood has been imported to USA before Africanized bees arrived from Mexico.

 

[BBG]

It is far from a super bee. Its very aggressive and poor at producing honey. The only things it has going for it is Wouldnt it be nice to be able to import a different strain of bee like this and see what you can make of it?

The experts have brought in mink, American crayfish, the grey squirrel etc oh and varroa. Your fond hope of Eureka and the likelihood you will dump the "experiment" might land us with even greater problems.

 

[beren]

What have you quoted BBG? Do not mess around with what I say then put it on as a quote. Quote what I said correctly or dont quote me at all!!