Italian Bees VS. Carniolan Bees! What we are doing and why..... (I think!)

[@AustinandJax]

Carniolan Bee- Kranjska Cebela- is an indigenous and protected bee from my beautiful country SLOVEnia. 😍 Even our bees represent our country well. Hardworking and kind 😉

[@ivangrizelj5093]

... And prone to robbing!

[@erikbeesley5991]

@@ivangrizelj5093 I died

[@maleficent3333]

krainka(carnolian) is also native to poland, generaly slavic areas, they have very good overwintering.

[@maleficent3333]

@@ivangrizelj5093 actually , that's Italians, as they are more resource hungry, carnolians aren't prone to robbing nor being robbed, even caucasian show off more of robbing tendencies.

[@TelmarSkahn]

Does your country ship be to the US? Looking for genetic diversity. Local keepers seem to just rely on feral catches and some are more aggressive. Looking for diverse gentle bees.

[@myrdale]

13:23 "Thinking and knowing are two very different things" There is a huge amount of wisdom in this statement.

[@gordonspond]

I have mutts... my queens have been mating with local (feral?) drones for the last 5 years. Based on what they look like, I think they are mainly Italian, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have some Carniolan in them too. They survive... that's all I need.😁😁😁

[@Kevin-TinyTrailFarmNC]

Thanks!

[@davidjoseph3188]

They are the 2 best bees to keep laid back less of a sting but for me I would pick Italian I like the colour more

[@paulawaldrep9882]

Wow! Who would have thought that there are such things as Frugal bees!!! 😍

[@wwoutdoors7300]

I love the way Laurel giggles at you. She has a sense of humor. That’s a good thing. I had carnies now I have Italian. But I like the carnies better. They was very gentle. The Italians are good to. I like the way the carnies look.

[@IFarmBugs]

I had a go with a package of skaskatraz bees this year and was impressed with how explosive their growth was in the spring. Still need more time for observing what they're all about. Italians and Carniolans are fantastic breeds for sure. Since I am Ukrainian I stay away from the Russian bees lol.

[@kamonreynolds]

lol

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Keep an eye on the mites in the Saskatraz hives. Mine are the worst on mites.

[@IFarmBugs]

@@rodneymiddleton9624 Yes indeed, likewise my mites got out of hand this year and I'm quite ashamed of it. Its funny though, the Saskatraz bees are marketed as selectively bred to specifically be good at dealing with mites. I suppose its just marketing hype as usual...

[@shannonbowen4814]

I have been trying a few hives of saskatraz bees the last couple of years and must say I’m impressed with them so far they overwinter well and good honey producers and I have noticed that my hives are much more aggressive toward shb which is a big problem in Alabama.

[@dickst.george8023]

No Orks

[@Valerielaquidara]

I have Italians but was thinking about adding a hive of carnies too, I'm new to bee keeping so wasn't sure but I think I'm going to go ahead and get the carnies as well after watching this video.

[@chuckbowen5024]

I'm in ND. Weve been blessed with a mild winter last year and a mild fall thus far. We have had some real terrors for winters some years. I have kept bees over winter before only to lose them in the spring. I'm getting the bee bug again(pardon the pun) I'm gonna take another shot at Carniolans.

[@researcherAmateur]

They look good. Those are real carnies. They winter on 7-8 frames. Ther is inaf food in that hive anthil march. I keep one box of empty frames under a box like that

[@randallcarter-carterhillho2277]

I have been transitioning to carniolans for 4 years, i really like them. I noticed when doing alcohol washes this summer that they tended to have a little less mites than italians.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Mike Palmer said what he didn't like on Italians was that they would rather rob than forage. I sure like my carniolans but my gloves do get sticky.

[@landtseebiene8314]

Hello Kamon in Austria I have Bukfast and Carnica. It is very good to watch how sensitively Carni‘s react to nature. the Buki‘s only collect honey or eat honey. but both have their advantages. love greetings Wolfgang

[@namentatic4978]

Carnica are Austrian and Slovenian bees. Somebody told me that it is illegal to have different kind of bees in Austria. Only Carnica is OK.

[@landtseebiene8314]

@@namentatic4978 buckfasts are not that popular in my apiary. the older members don't think they belong in austria. there are areas that prohibit this, but it is generally allowed! the native bee used to be the dark bee Apis mellifera mellifera, but it is no longer bred

[@austinlee6544]

In WI here, won't open my boxes till spring now. 4 hives, 2 are saskatraz and 2 are 'winter survivors' although I suspect they're heavy in the Carney genetics, from a friend. Hoping to develop genetics for my area of short summers and long winters.

[@Makermook]

1) With the frame feeders still in place and the mildness of the winter so far, do you think you'll feed those Italians any more syrup? 2) Is there any significant difference in temperament between those two breeds?

[@kamonreynolds]

The both are pretty chill. I think the carnies are a little better as they reach peak size. Yes I can feed a bit more syrup but time is running out.

[@richdaly8756]

Kamon Thanks again Rich

[@isabelmcpherson9399]

Brilliant stuff. Will never look at bees the same again. Thank you 👍

[@PGrace-ch8mj]

Thank you for doing this video. I am planning to buy two nucs from you this year and want carnies due to the area (I am about an hour from you) and the hive type I am using (Slovenian AZ). I am excited and KNOW I will get quality nucs.

[@lindagray5857]

I’m so glad you did this video. I have tried to get away from so many Italians. They can be so aggressive, I don’t enjoy working them. I think car is are a better fit for me.

[@wskonij]

Carneys are more likely to swarm compared to buckfast or italien bees. With the Italian bee you have more problems with chalk brood. special when the nights are cold and the day temperature are high.

[@russellkoopman3004]

I had three carnie hives that didn't swarm and one Italian that did swarm. I have heard the Italians swarm more. Who knows for sure?

[@edwardnewbold]

At :44, can you tell me what kind of hive that is? I see 6 frames, so I'm going to assume it's a 6-frame NUC. Looks very good. Who markets that one, please?

[@aBeekeepersLife]

That is a fast queen 😊 I like the carnica way of adapting to the local weather, those italians(and many buckfast) too don't take any notice of winter, draught or anything. Often saw buckfast beekeepers here(in the netherlands there is predominantly carnica and buckfast) that had to start feeding their buckfasts with high italian blood in december already. While my carnicas are nice and cosy and easy on their stores. For me nothing beats a carnica, but that is of course very personal 😊 Have a nice day and keep buzzing

[@Kevin-TinyTrailFarmNC]

Kamon, I noticed you left the queen out on the frame you removed. I would worry about that but hey what do I know…. Am I overthinking it? Thanks

[@kamonreynolds]

It is best NOT to. Have a nuc box that you can place that frame into so that you can protect her whilst you are doing the rest of the work! Thanks so much for the donation to our work!

[@toddkelleher8630]

I have 15hives & 4years in Milledgeville Ga and had been curious about which breed to go with in the southeast. Thanks for sharing what you have learned from experience in Tenn.

[@kamonreynolds]

Our pleasure!

[@toddkelleher8630]

Kamon Reynolds - Tennessee's Bees what will it cost to buy 5-10 of your carniolian queens and how early will you have them ready next year?

[@earlybird906]

Thanks K&L, I have a question, where can I get a vail like the one you are wearing ? Thank you guys.

[@maleficent3333]

carnolian, or how we call them here "krainka" , are adjusted to extreme harsh winters, they reduce population on their own, and use minimum honey to survive, they have very strong start with lot's of stores during spring, and can be used for early nectar flow.

[@donbearden1953]

Thanks for the video K&L! Is the temperament of the Italians and Carniolans about the same?

[@kamonreynolds]

I would say they are about the same Don. If I had to choose I would say the carnies are a little more docile

[@namentatic4978]

In Europe I had carniolans, and here I have both. I think that the temperament depends of many other factors. If they have some pretty identical conditions: healthy, food, good queens.... they have pretty identical tempers. But nobody is talking about underground waters, radiations..... which could influence on the bees above. We are still illiterate for these factors. Bees and some animals feel them and we are dummy. :)

[@seagie382]

i crushed a be there and thats really unfortunate, anyways... (meanwhile another bee shows up and starts eating the dead one)

[@kipglass6222]

Kamon, in the late 70's early 80's I was running over 100 colonies for honey production with Italians. (I am in Southwest Missouri). I got tired of the Italians raising brood like gang busters, after I took off honey in mid July. I would leave plenty of stores but like you we usually dry up and and have a dearth in July August and part of September. I do not like feeding bees, these Italians would use up all their stores and I would have to feed heavily. I switched to Carniolans and now love them. We had a drought this year after a great spring early summer honey flow. You would go into these colonies a month into this drought and it was like the queen was missing. They would shut down to conserve. I switched many years ago to the New World Carniolan stock and have been doing my own selection and breeding since. Love those Carniolans. beekeepingbliss.com

[@billryan3943]

bill up in Wis. Like your info. Wish you could tell me more about dealing with minus 25.

[@kamonreynolds]

Etienne Tardif on youtube has great info on cold weather beekeeping!

[@catchemalive]

So you don’t worry with a typical inner cover?!? You like the bubble wrap foil? Thinking I might give that a try!

[@ECP]

My Carnies did very well this year... I ordered 4 Queens for splits in April.... from Strachan Apiaries they have New World Carnies... that particular line of Carnies do very well.... They have also partnered with Ohio State

[@benjamindejonge3624]

It sounds like we have a similar climate, thanks for sharing your experience

[@Noahsoak]

Had a black queen before in a caught swarm, pretty cool.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Ha! And that’s why we pretend she could be on any frame we choose to pull! Because she just might be lol She’s a beautiful queen, still laying ! Wow The bees are nice and quiet , great job

[@kathyhathaway8823]

I would like to get a mix of the two . At least a few colonies to try an see how they turn out .

[@strutt01]

I'm curious in both Carnis and Caucasions. I heard that the swarm instinct is a lot lower in the Caucasian bees. But their propolos production is crazy. Thanks for the the videos.

[@maleficent3333]

and apparently they are more into robbing other weaker hives, create smaller medium sized families, buckle up

[@Roby-Bees]

they are the same bees. Carniche and caucasiche.

[@strutt01]

@@Roby-Bees now that I've had both, I see a lot of differences between the two. If you buy strains of bees from a bee yard that doesn't do artificial insemination then yes, all the bees are the same. But if you buy the pure genetics from AI breeders. There's world's of difference between the 2.

[@Roby-Bees]

What? Artificial insemination? Are we joking? Here we are Italians... We like natural things! Carnian and Caucasian are the same bees. One will be slightly darker if coming from Eastern Europe! But in terms of yield they are identical. Artificial insemination is all artificial with bees has nothing to do with it. Creating an animal to man's liking is certainly neither one thing nor the other but only a surrogate! You are talking to a 3 generation beekeeper. Since 1850. Greetings men

[@douglassutherland4646]

Hi Kamon, I noticed 2 worker bees on the frame with the queen showing what is sometimes caled “K-wing”. I see it in some of my colonies in the North East of Scotland but I cannot find a treatment for it.. Do you have any suggestions for treating them. My bees are mostly black and they can produce good crops of bell heather honey most years I have watched many of your videos and found them very informative

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Douglas! I get some k wing from time to time! It never seems to be a problem for me though if I just see a few. I will investigate this further. Thanks for bring this to my attention and for commenting!

[@ayo3190]

love your videos. I just started bee keeping this year in April. Yesterday both hives swarmed. not sure why they both had plenty of honey.

[@schammond8993]

Bees usually swarm because the queen has run out of room to lay.

[@christianshannon3943]

Hey I enjoy and learn a lot from your videos. I notice a small issue with the frame feeders, they have a tendency to collapse in the middle so I cut a small block of wood and stapled it at the top in the center keeping the measurement slightly smaller in width . This seems to strengthen the feeder. Starting next spring I will experiment with keeping one in each hive . I hope it won’t attract an any issue is what I’m concerned with.

[@christianshannon3943]

Oops a typo- I hope these won’t attract an ant issue !

[@bobbelebuh7236]

Good morning. In Europe many beekeepers work with Buckfast bees. I wonder that you never talk about them. Do they exist in the US? For me these are the best. A good Buckfast is a combination of all good things ;-)

[@kamonreynolds]

They exist but I don't think the strains are very pure. I would love to one day visit Europe and see you alls Buckfast bees.

[@afpturk]

@@kamonreynolds We are waiting you also Turkey Kamon 🙂

[@callumbeck4961]

My carnies have hardly swarmed this year. I got some Italians last season and all of them have swarmed this season even took splits and gave them plenty of extra room but still swarmed Im going to requeen them back to carnies and feel the Italians are a bit lazy at times had 100 hives on one site early in the season all the carnies filled up twice but the Italians barely filled once and started to get chalk brood were the carnies didn't.

[@iowasenator]

Question Kamon: Give me your thoughts about using an insect fogger with mineral oil (with perhaps adding wintergreen) to treat for varroa? The Fat Bee Man and several other notable beeks have adopted this method. Thanks!

[@kamonreynolds]

My thoughts are it hasn't been proven to work and varroa is a huge problem that cannot be left to chance. I know Don the Fatbeeman. If he recommends it I typically don't agree with it.

[@iowasenator]

@@kamonreynolds Awesome. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks!

[@smportis]

🥴

[@vupi6826]

I have a pure Karnik breed of bees with which I am very satisfied and I would not change it for any other breed. I have been beekeeping for 40 years in the entire territory of Croatia and move bees to pastures; Oilseed rape, Acacia, Chestnut a they winter in the place where I live /golden rose plant/. Wintering is very good for me because I do all the preparations according to the regulations; numerical condition, young queen, reduction of the varroa population and enough food, which for me is about 12 kg, Karnika / gray bee / is very thrifty, as you yourself said in this video, and the number of individuals of about 15,000 is enough for wintering. The spring development of Karnika is very explosive and the peak of development is already in 5 months, and the maximum number is from 60,000 to even 70,000. Karnika tolerates winter well, even down to low - 30 C / although there are no such temperatures now. / global warming of planet earth /. And at the end ; I have all the praise for your lecture on bees and beekeeping. Although this video is from 3 years ago. it is very instructive for young beekeepers BUT also for older beekeepers of course...😂 Greetings from Croatia / Europe / ..

[@mehtarelingolien]

Her Majesty likes the camera!

[@charlesoneill466]

They look great. Gentle. What do you think of putting a ulra bee patty on that hive?

[@trentneumann5788]

Hi I have a question about the polystyrene boxes are they worth the extra money? Here in Australia they cost around double of waxed dipped wooden box so would love some real experience review Thanks Trent

[@Rinahugo]

I have three hives of six frame nucs that you saw on this video. First Summer but the bees love them. I ran mine with two boxes all summer because I need additional food sources for our Winters (St. Louis, Missouri). Another box was used as a shim for the feeders. I have feeder boxes I be will installing this week and I will then close the hives for the Winter. Next Spring I use these hives to start two new hives I am building over the Winter. Also, If I lose a hive over the Winter, Spring or Summer I have a replacement hive immediately. I try to buy the highest quality queens thru out the country, who work closely with the Bee Informed Partnership. They inspect queen breeders looking for 95% mite hygienics rate. Saves allot of time for shipping and replacement queens produced by the hive. After I move the bees ,I will purchase local nucs to restart the foam hives. After the Spring flow, I will order new queens and requeen all my hives with younger queens for 2022. After, I start the nucs empty nucs I will install the second box box with empty frames. I only use five frames in a six frame nuc to protect the queen from my heavy hand. When they have that box half way full, I will install a third box for my honey, if any. Blue Sky Bees does not sell queen excludes for six frame nucs. I plan to purchase three new feeders and cut a large rectangle in the center. I will the cut a plastic queen excluder to cover the rectangle. I think Liquid Nails should hold the excluder in place. This is my first year with bees. I hope my plan works. I think foam hive will become more popular to back yard beekeepers. The cost are to high for commercial keepers. Remember, they work on the same principle and the age old question "How does a thermos know to keep liquids Hot or Cold".

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Trent that is why we are doing the experimental yard testing insulated vs non. I don't know the extent of the advantages. The bees do well in them. As you can see I have very few right now and my business does fine without insulation. I think they can be helpful to your bees but to say they are a necessity isn't true.

[@temijinkahn511]

Per the scientist, these two subspecies are so interbred that the hive could have a mix of bees in the same colony. The queen could mate with drones with genes predominantly one or the other subspecies. Depending on which sperm the queen uses, you could have Italian appearing or carniolian appearing bees in the same colony. If behavior is closely tied to appearance (which it seems to be) then your colony will behave in the manner the majority of bees appearing as Italian or carniolian. The greater the proportion of a type of bee the more that colony will behave accordingly. You could also have africanized defensive bees mixed in as well depending on the genetic mix of the queen and any particular drone. You could have an Italian or carniolian “appearing” queens but the mix of the colony will be influenced by the drone as well.

[@jamaurik]

Newbie Beekeeper here, just receiving the hives and building the stand, my Italians are coming in 3 weeks, I bought them as they are the ones I heard the most to be gentle, now Reading about on an old bee biology poster and now on a couple of videos I learn the Carnies are even more gentle, better collectors of pollen a bit more resintant to tracheal mite but with a bit more tendency to swarm... depending on how my first year goes I might intoduce a Carnie Queen next years and do the switch. I have a question Kamon, having two small hives here in the city, how can I control the population so that they don't swarm but to keep always good numbers to survive the harsh Texas winter? 😀

[@Joe-zt2us]

Carneys would scare the heck outa me. I am used to buckfast and they are still brooding in west ky. They should have no trouble as far as food stores go lotta food in there for amount of bees in my experience and you say they eat less to.

[@stgermain1074]

Your bee yards aren't that far apart. Is there really that big of a difference from one location to another in such a small locality?

[@kamonreynolds]

My best bee yard and my worst are 8 miles apart as the crow flies and the honey production difference is huge

[@marcowinkler8225]

I'm from Germany and have a question, is the Carni the Apis mellifera Carnica?

[@kamonreynolds]

Hi Marco. Yes it is Apis Mellifera Carnica

[@marcowinkler8225]

@@kamonreynolds thank you :) I have also 6 hives with Carnica and two SMR Buckfast and this in my second winter 😅

[@rstlr01]

The queen wanted to be a KZbin star!

[@bobbyc.1111]

could you go over the terminology, what do you ean brood and food ? and why aren't you getting honey? I thought they also make honey

[@micksbeesstephens5327]

Still seeing brood holding on as well heading toward December, planning on OAV treatments around dec 01 and Jan 01 here in Nashville. I am curious as to how pure Palmers Carnies are, pricing, and waiting backlog. ?

[@kamonreynolds]

He doesn't communicate super well. So it is hard to tell if you are going to get some are not.

[@micksbeesstephens5327]

@@kamonreynolds Thanks, I know he is a busy man. That' s why I ask you first since you just got an order. BTW Fred Dunn is really pushing your conference on his Q&A today ! You go Kamon. Thank You Mickey

[@micksbeesstephens5327]

@@kamonreynolds Thank you buddy

[@noahriding5780]

I had a lot I was curious about in this video... Can you comment on the carnis coloring a bit? Specifically, I'm curious if this is fairly typical for them to all look so dark fully through out the hive like that, or are most beekeepers carni line genetics being dilluted? Is this the norm to see them dark? Or do most carnis sort of start to look like italians when not produced by Palmer and other people who are more detailed? I hope you can talk about the genetic solidity, and if its blurring or not blurring also because you hear things but you don't always know if what you hear is right, since everyone on the internet is an expert.

[@snubbull7309]

I've had a few carnie hives here in Finland for a while and they are about as dark as you see here, just my experience

[@noahriding5780]

@@snubbull7309 Wow. Sounds fun. it would be interesting to see how you guys keep bees over there and how you keep them alive. Thanks for the reply.

[@waynehunsucker2220]

I have 3 hives of Carnies I'm taking into winter in nucs. If I can keep them from swarming next Spring, I'm very excited what they may do with the Tulip Poplar here in Louisville, KY.

[@jackysenpai4934]

Carniolan bee looks a lot like iberiensis bee from Portugal and Spain it's an awesome subspecies super adapated to dry and hot countries however they're super agressive xD

[@shawn8163]

Have always had Italian bees. Did a few small splits this summer with eggs and Larvae Month later they have a almost solid black queen I am assuming cross breeding from another colony? Queen looks just like a carni

[@thomasmartin7250]

Hi Kamon. Love your work, attitude, and video content. Question... Have you noticed a difference in how the carniolans and the Italians respond to robbing ? I only have two hives (1 carni and 1 Italian) but I would swear that the Italians were much more aggressive when guarding their hive.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thomas, thank you. The eye test suggests to me that Italians are more prone to rob than carnies are but I can't say for certain if that is the case. I am keeping watch on that particular behavior and hope that it is true. I hate robbing.

[@bluelab5019]

Are they generally calmer than the Buckfast?

[@desertfox8583]

Which one is more gentle? Less aggressive?

[@gsmWF360]

Watch all of your vids. Love them and constantly get educated watching them. I have two Italian/Carni/Buckfast hybrid queens from Spell Bee LLC. Very gentle. One acts more like a Italian in brood department and even in January I see some pollen being brought in when temps allow. Italian like numbers. The other I believe is acting more like a Carni I believe (I’m use to Italians), as I haven’t seen pollen brought in since November and there population has greatly reduced. I am assuming a Carni trait and not a queen problem. Both queen right last inspection (late Nov). Both hives were fairly equal in numbers this summer. Oh, I’m near Raleigh NC. Question: what is your opinion today about your carni’s? I know spring would be a better time to ask, just curious and concerned .. but don’t want to crack open my hives and break the seals as worse weather is approaching.

[@kamonreynolds]

My opinion is that carnies that exhibit true carni traits will shrink a good bit BUT a good carni cluster is still 5 to 9 frames of bee coverage. More and more I am going to overwinter in singles due to the smaller winter cluster carnis typically give me. If the queen is good and they are healthy coming out of winter as long as they have plenty of food to do so they build up rapidly. I believe at this time carnies are better for me than Italians.

[@gsmWF360]

@@kamonreynolds Thank you for your quick reply. In November it was queen right and about 6 frames of bees. Numerous uncapped nectar in the deep, (partly 2-1 syrup) and a super 70% capped. I run deep singles all year with a honey super for their needs. During a flow I run a Flowhive deep super for my harvest. I might top with another super on top if I see crowding to avoid swarming.. and set it out for robbing late fall to get back to 1 deep, 1 medium super. I could break their seal and check the deep, but if the queen I rcvd last May is failing early I can’t do much now with no replacement queen available. It should be good if it’s a strong Carni trait in that one. Thank you and keep the videos coming!

[@BlanchardsBees]

I wish I knew what kind of bees I have. Out of my 7 colonies 2 are swarms from someone else's hives, 1 is a cutout, 3 are swarms from an old tree, & one my own swarm. They're all pretty gentle but one colony seems to produce a lot more propolus. I had tried a Saskatraz colony but they didn't even survive the first summer I had them.

[@Rinahugo]

Good guest is Carnolian if they are dark in color, build tons of propolis and are gentile. They love to swarm.

[@catchemalive]

I live in south Arkansas and caught my first swarm. Is there any way I can figure out which breed of bee I have other than just trying to compare pictures to my bees?

[@joeshea24]

In my experience, you should invest in a new queen. Swarms can be all over the spectrum - hard working good producers all the way to mean or sickly. It is better to have some idea about what to expect.

[@RaySarasin]

I have both i did notice the Italians are feisty and grow fast, the carnie i found late starters and way more calm bees its what i found with mine

[@Roby-Bees]

In the north east of Italy, we have only the fantastic Carniche Carniole.

[@tristonosborne5537]

Hey Kamon, have you noticed a difference in swarming activity or over superceding between carnies, Italians, saskatraz ? Thanks

[@jesshowe4591]

I used to import carnelian queens. But I found them a nightmare to work with the Queens of so flighty they will just fly off the frame when you do an inspection they swarm for no reason with Buckfast the bees will put the queen on a diet before swarming but with carnelian these Queens can fly anytime they don't need to be put on a diet if you cross carnelian with Buckfast the first Cross is a good Bee but when you cross again they can turn nasty the two breeds don't mix very easily very difficult to introduce carnelian queen to a Buckfast colony.

[@nidalshehahadeh7485]

Carniolan vs Italian . which one of them is the more aggressive ? which one of them is more likely to interbreed with Africanized bees ? which specie is the easier in identifying crossbreeding with Africanized or wild bees ? I am in Port Charlotte Florida . which species is better at tolerating Heat and humidity ? thank you

[@jaredgodwin5956]

Do Carniolan or Italians have a faster spring buildup?

[@lindalowery7575]

What do you think of Saskatraz bees for East TN. I've been thinking about trying. This is my first year of beekeeping

[@kamonreynolds]

TN is a good state for saskatraz and pretty much all of the types. As long as the queens are raised well they should do well for you

[@lindalowery7575]

@@kamonreynolds thank you, I enjoy your videos

[@benjamindejonge3624]

Love your info

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks for the support Benjamin!

[@toddknecht2106]

Is it proper to split an Italian hive and queen the split with carneolan?

[@kamonreynolds]

I do it. Works well for me

[@charleneshinsky1248]

Thanks! Hey do you put the ladders in your freeders when you feed?

[@kamonreynolds]

Hello Charlene, I use stick floats in mine. As long as the syrup isn't cold the bees can crawl out of it fine if they happen to fall in. If alot of bees are drown that typically mean they are sick and weak from a virus. Never use a frame feed right after a package or a swarm is put. Wait a couple of days for the bees to settle down. Bees that run around in a new colony can drown sometimes. Once they get use to their hive frame feeders are great. Bucket feeder are great also

[@rinkevichjm]

So how many bees did you kill dropping the top box on the lower?

[@kamonreynolds]

13.5

[@rinkevichjm]

@@kamonreynolds dropping instead of sliding can induce aggressive behavior.

[@navarra4]

Why was your bees cappings to the honey so black in color. I thought it is supposed to be a light color

[@snubbull7309]

If the honey inside the cell is touching the wax capping it'll be a dark colour, if the capping isn't touching the honey underneath it'll be light. These are called wet and dry cappings

[@SRW1955]

Carneys looked good to me. Really couldn’t say there was a lot less bees.

[@kamonreynolds]

There wasn't much difference but the carnies were much more clustered than the italians it seemed to me

[@russellkoopman3004]

Numbers did look similar but the stored honey looked to be twice as much with the carnies.

[@researcherAmateur]

Ther is inaf food in that carnies hive to do the splitt in march with it.. if they are like mine.

[@endrittroni6454]

Kamon, great video. I wanted to know if ever experimented in italian queens mating with carniolan drones? Like what would happen :D

[@kamonreynolds]

Hybrid vigor is what some say, others say a modge podge. Here in the USA our bees are already mutts to a degree so really we breed for traits over name. Since some dark "carnies" act like italians and some lighter looking bees are fairly conservative like carnies it can be difficult to assume anything with just a name. Beekeeping is so fun!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!

[@endrittroni6454]

@@kamonreynolds thank you so much for the time taking to reply, I wish you all the best for your family and your bees. God bless you😊

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Being so conservative will they have the numbers to be productive in the spring? Thanks Kamon.

[@kamonreynolds]

They ramp up like crazy and do really well. Haven't noticed a drop in Honey production myself

[@beverlysteen]

What are the odds of pulling the frame holding the queen twice first thing? LOL

[@kamonreynolds]

Very very LOW!

[@michaelalexander9672]

Morning Kamon, my question is a little off the subject but knew not where else to ask. I live in Athens, Alabama and it's been a very mild winter. I just found one of my hives robbed out. They all have sugar on them, so I don't understand why. Should I be putting something else out for them? Going through the hive I found honey stores, but no pollen. Could they have been robbed for their pollen stores? Any info into this would be greatly appreciated.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Robbed out or absconded??

[@bayupermanaputra3684]

Hi. How much the price of carnie's queen

[@jasonsneeden5934]

Dang Kamon , were you up all night? Live feed and then edit, this video i presume .it will be 45 degrees today in Portland/Vancouver PNW. Ima try to feed today. Can I go 3 sugar to 1 water? Thanks

[@kamonreynolds]

Pretty much. I have never heard of anyone having success mixing 3 parts sugar to 1 part water. Many folks have some issues with the sugar staying in suspension with 2:1

[@jasonsneeden5934]

@@kamonreynolds ok , when you feed syrup(i watched your video on syrup) is it a 2 to 1 syrup and then you add sugar and nutrition? I should go watch it again.

[@paulchristu996]

@@jasonsneeden5934 I’m also in Portland. It’s too cold now to feed syrup, except I can sometimes get them to take from an entrance feeder for a couple hours in the afternoon if I heat the syrup to 100-120 first. Once the syrup gets down to 50-55F, they won’t take it. PM me on the POrtland Urban Beekeepers fb page;we can chat and I’ll try to help you thru the winter. Or email, pchristu@gmail.

[@billc3405]

Best to hive a surgar board if there in need of stores

[@HivesToHome]

How did you get in touch with MP to order queens from him?

[@rayjohnson8329]

Hey Kamon, mind me asking how many Palmer queens you got and how long it took to get them? So I’m figuring that’s why he hasn’t responded to me. But I would like to get some diversity in one of my yards I’ll be breeding queens from. If you happen to have a surplus of queens, as I’ve said before I’d loved to get some from yours as well. Thank bro take care

[@kamonreynolds]

I requested them in Jan. Never heard back. reached out again in March never heard back. Got an email in August at a very inconvenient time that the 40 queens I requested were being shipped out. gee wiz

[@rayjohnson8329]

@@kamonreynolds kool I’ll keep on him! How about some queens from your girls?

[@bradgoliphant]

Great video. How do you like your mask? Do you see well through it? Can you let me know where you bought it? Thanks

[@kamonreynolds]

Kelley's clear view veil I do like them.

[@smportis]

You set the queen on the ground Kamon. You must be a Bama fan. 😁 Real question: in Nashville, I have a couple of 1 box high, new 2020 colonies. Should I add a bottom box with drawn comb on those this late in the game? They are very packed in. I know it is extra space to keep warm.... I think not but just thought I'd ask. I just replaced the screened boards with solid bottoms to help keep them warmer through Feb.

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Smportis, I would just keep the box off till the bees have to have it in Late Feb or March. You can put it underneath but I would just leave it off since it already is

[@smportis]

@@kamonreynolds thanks Kamon. Happy Thanksgiving. Appreciate your shared experiences.

[@TimoAbraham]

hey, is there any Apis Cerana bees in the US?

[@lenturtle7954]

Not much pollen in Saskatchewan in November its buried under 2-3 feet of snow and -4 f Im knda jealous

[@denodkgoro8124]

Hello, I am a beekeeper in a continental area, at an altitude of 500 to 1300 meters above sea level, with strong winters and a very changeable spring. I am a beekeeper exclusively from Carniolan. I keep a bee on 5 to 8 frames of brood throughout the year and have honey to extract (as seen in my video). Beekeepers must understand that they are beekeeping with a bee that is suitable for their climate. When we imported the Italian bee, problems began with the death of bee colonies, regardless of the fact that the Italian bees are strong but eat all the food. The Italian bee is excellent for warmer areas and longer honeying periods. Carniolan and other bees are aggressive if something is wrong in the hive.

[@richkepple354]

Kamon, love your videos! What breed would you recommend a new beekeeper start out with?

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Rich both Italian and Carnies can be very good for the new beekeeper. I would have a hard time saying which would be better. Sorry!

[@johnfleming7879]

so Carnolians give you a brood break- mitigating against mites

[@saadsd8219]

Ciao. Possa Dios averti lì e proteja. No hay duda de que tu apicultor es bueno. Esto refleja tu seriedad y buen hacer. También ejerzo la professione di apicoltura. Me gustaría tener la oportunidad de trabajar. Sii un buen apicoltore y estoy buscando trabajo. Espero tener una oportunidad porque perdí mi trabajo debido a la sequía que dañó mucho a las abejas.

[@privacyleech409]

Hi do you guys sell Carny Queens?

[@PennsylvaniaBeekeeper]

Did you ever decide if you prefer Italian or Carniolan bees?

[@kamonreynolds]

I like them both honestly. But I like carnies a little more due to the brood breaks they give me in winter

[@burleybeeyard]

Can you requeen an Italian hive with a carni queen?

[@kamonreynolds]

Yes you can.

[@trichard5106]

Is the temperament of the Carniolans about the same as my Russians? My Russians are really hot in the spring. Thanks !!

[@kamonreynolds]

My Carnies are very nice. Much more gentle than any Russian I have owned. However, they will get from time to time

[@beebob1279]

We basically have mongeralls here where I am. If a queen is purchased they are often superseded within weeks. Then we have the local stock. The only thing I've seen from the local bees is that they are hotter than the others. I'm surprised that you didn't remove the queen from the frame and move her to another frame before replacing it. I'd be worried about crushing the queen putting her in with the frame that way.

[@markb3954]

Great video. I have my hives ready to go and hope to order 2 nucs in February. i have a small urban backyard. Can i go with one Italian Nuc and 1 Carni Nuc even if they are side by side. watching as many of your video as i can. they're amazing. thanks for all the great info. BTW i'm located in SW Ontario just west of Toronto. winter i think will be my challenge. again thanks for all the amazing videos and info

[@johnfleming7879]

Italians like their pasta