Beekeeping

All About Bees

Honey bees, like all other living things, vary among themselves in traits such as temperament, disease resistance, and productivity.

The environment has a large effect on differences among bee colonies (for example, plants in different areas yield different honey crops), but the genetic makeup of a colony can also impact the characteristics that define a particular group.

The Different Types of Honey Bees

1. The Italian bee
2. The German bee
3. The Carniolan bee
4. The Caucasian bee
5. The Buckfast bee
6. The Russian bee

What is a bee stock?

The term "stock" is defined as a loose combination of traits that characterize a particular group of bees. Such groups can be divided by species, race, region, population, or breeding line in a commercial operation.

Many other honey bee stocks are worth noting:

• The Minnesota Hygienic stock has been selected for its exceptional housecleaning ability.
• The SMR stock, referring to "Suppression of Mite Reproduction," also was developed by the USDA honey bee lab in Louisiana by artificially selecting commercial stocks for mite resistance.
• The Cordovan bee is a type of Italian bee that has a very light yellow color, which is more attractive to many beekeepers.

Numerous hybrid stocks are also available commercially:

• The Midnight bee
• The Starline
• The Double Hybrid is a cross of the Midnight and the Starline.
• The "Smart" strains are crosses between the SMR strain and other stocks, such as Italian, Russian, and Carniolan.

Bee differences can be used to advantage by beekeepers, depending on what traits interest them, so using different stocks can be a powerful tool at the beekeeper's disposal.