Why I love Russian bees with Joe the Bee Whisper.

Joebeewhisper on Instagram @ / joebeewhisperer
came by today and spent a couple hours visiting me. Joe is a Russian queen breeder and beekeeper and very good friend of mine. We were missing the 3rd amigo Jack.
Many things are discussed in this video and many more that did not make it on here or the video would have been 2 hours long.

[@Dougarrowhead]

I missed the parts about why he loves the russian bees

[@Nicopilon]

Yes its all about to survive the winter here i need alot of this genetic

[@628DirtRooster]

Looked like a fun visit.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

Only 7 minutes of 3 hours but people would not watch that much. How's things down south looking?

[@dcsblessedbees]

I have 1 Russian, they seem like grumpy carni good bees though. Well grumpy isn't the right word, they don't take my mistakes with out letting me know. They sure can brawl good when they need to, tough bees. I'll haven't had them long enough to know much about them yet. I'm trying out Caucasians this season. Thanks for sharing your time with us.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

You are more than welcome. Joe works his without a veil most days but as any observations beekeeper will notice weather plays a role in how bees react to the hive being opened.

[@dcsblessedbees]

@@WoolieBsApiary Oh ya totally the only time I had a problem with mine was when I'd do something stupid or another hive thought they might rob them.(Russians brawl good, they are a tough bee.) I think they are a good bee and people get the misconception of them being grumpy or aggressive bees as a line. I found that as long as I worked them by their style they were fine to work. I was a little slower and a little more carefully they were puppy dogs, BUT oh boy when I messed up they let me know quick. In my opinion working them has helped make me more conscious of what I'm doing when I work my bees. I think my experiences with my Russians made my others easier to work honestly.

[@joestocker660]

👍😎🐝 That’s it in a nutshell. I’ve said it many times (and heard Lankford confess 😂), when I get stung, I’ve done something stupid 90% of the time. 😂

[@gallowaylights]

Short on honey Russian bee... good to know! 😊

[@jimallen1176]

My bee yards in the shade have lots of small hive beetles. My bee yards in full sun are the strongest & no beetles.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

That is the difference in my genetics and yours. If I open a box and they are loaded with hive beetles they get requeened from a breeder that deals with them and it's amazing to see a hive loaded and once the new queen gets established and the beetle populating goes way down without my intervention

[@joestocker660]

@@WoolieBsApiary And to clarify, when I'm talking about shade in this context, we are discussing making a newly-boxed swarm stay in a box. My own bees are in full sun, with mating yard in shade.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

@@joestocker660 i Fully understand that im just answering someone else that missed that part.

[@joestocker660]

@@WoolieBsApiary😂 Oh, I knew you got it Bro. Me and Jack were talking about you last night. 👍😎🐝

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

Good stuff guys. Thanks for sharing it. Good health and God bless

[@WoolieBsApiary]

Same to you. Hope your bees are doing great.

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

@@WoolieBsApiary Thanks 👍

[@joestocker660]

@@houstonsheltonbees814God bless you and yours as well. 🙏🏻😃😎🐝

[@Mackabees]

Great video content. I keep all my hives mostly in the shade and entrances pointing north to Northeast. What bees prefer.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

Mine are facing south east

[@lpriddy2929]

Mine too

[@johnniecarter3013]

I always enjoy and learn something when I watch your videos. Thank you Sir!!

[@WoolieBsApiary]

Thank you for watching.

[@joestocker660]

Just to clarify across the board, in this context I am talking about closing the lid on a swarm trap to shade "their" floor, not debating the merits of keeping hives in fun sun or partial shade. Also let me add that our original stock came from Steven and Angelia Coy in Miss. While I've talked with two R.H.B.A. members briefly, the requirement to keep 200 hives is more than I have time for.

[@lgalardi]

Interesting. So I had seven Russian colonies in addition to my carnie. I did not ever find my Russians to be aggressive. And they did well through the winter for me. That being said, they're hybridized offspring have been straight up mean at times. Just my experience, so I've moved back to more carnie Queens.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

I got a couple Russian f1s open mated in my home yard which is saturated with buckfast for 5 miles around. They came out of winter blowing the boxes out with no aggressive behavior.

[@noahriding5780]

I haven't heard many people talking about shading the beehives. This seems new to me. I've watched probably hundreds and hundreds of bee videos in the last few years. Nobody talks about shading. I am curious to hear more about that and if it will affect having bees alive in spring.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

As you could see there is around 15 hives that will be in the shade 85% of the day. I have an outyard that is in total shade after 12 noon. 100% survival over the last 3 years.

[@noahriding5780]

Very cool. The shade idea makes a lot of sense. Especially since in their natural environment their colonies would be shaded by the tree their in. So there must be something to it. @@WoolieBsApiary

[@CrazyIvan865]

​@noahriding5780 Ever heard of a solar wax meter? I don't understand why everyone insists that they have to be in direct sunlight. Anyone whose ever rented a U-haul or swept out a trailer should understand how miserable a poorly insulated big white box gets in direct sunlight. Consider this. Honey isn't liquid gold. It's liquid coal. It's a fuel/energy source, much like gasoline, the the bees burn to fuel everything they do in their very industrious nature. Everything from getting milage to gather more nectar, pollen, propolis, water, to cooling the inside of the hive, ventilating the hive and acting as an HVAC system, etc. Anything you can do to provide them a more stable environment that prevents them having to work as hard to maintain brood rearing temperatures should, in theory, result in a greater yield if stored honey. Might lije investing in better insulation so you don't have to run the AC as much, can help you put more money in the bank over years to come; rather than handing it to the utility company. Energy efficiency = better colony function = better yields of honey and wax.

[@lpriddy2929]

Both my horizontal hives are under 2 big oaks! The get morning sun early for a few minutes some evening. Years ago when I first put bees in a Lang, set them out in the sun with no shade, my husband asked me, why don’t you give them some shade? Being a new sassy bee keeper, I said, because you’re not suppose to. He looked at me just as dead pan, straight faced, earnest & honest and said..... “then why do the build hives in trees”?😮🤦‍♀️ 😂😂😂😂

[@noahriding5780]

@@lpriddy2929 Thanks for the reply. Curious if you saw a difference in survival rate from the shade?

[@noahriding5780]

I get tired of the mite approach is the only thing to talk about also. So I can understand why this guy says that too. And part of especially why they don't like the mite approach being the only thing to do talk about is that they don't really like the idea that the mite approach forces you to only think 'I'm a chemist now', and I have to be messing around with a lot of chemical garbage to do anything with the bees. I think people want to see and hear about something else ... anything to get a better survival rate. And I do like to hear about what's surviving and why too. Although, I didn't think anyone was really certified as a real Russian bee shop? People a few years ago seemed to be thinking there wasn't one... ? I'm not sure on this and not being disagreeable... But to me I don't really care what someone says about what their bees are or why if they can get them to survive. Its not fun getting bees and then they don't survive. ... Also sorry I didn't post in awhile. Still love bees. And I do like your videos. I hope you are doing OK with all the weird weather that's hit your area and the south recently.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

I'm doing great and so are the bees. I'm at a 5% loss so far this winter. There is a Russian queen breeders association. It's a select club.

[@noahriding5780]

Very cool. That's interesting both for your amazing survival rate and to have a Russian breeder association. @@WoolieBsApiary

[@joestocker660]

@@WoolieBsApiary And just to clarify, I bought my original stock from Steven Coy, who is R.H.B.A, and I am not in that select group. They require keeping 200 hives, so beyond the scope of anything I want to pursue. Thanks

[@lpriddy2929]

Thanks! I agree with what he said about meetings and mites!🙄. I just can’t ! I like my Russian Carnie crosses! Had all those good qualities he mentioned but not real spicy.

[@mikefrench3800]

Cool! I raise Russians too. Be trying to buy from him

[@WoolieBsApiary]

His Instagram info is on the description

[@mikefrench3800]

I saved that, thanks!@@WoolieBsApiary

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

I am seriously thinking AMM ( apis mellifera mellifera) is now extinct in North America. I know of NOwhere to buy such a queen in North America. I havent seen a hive of black bees since the 90s.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

There were some in a tree near a friend's house we were planning on surrounding the bee tree with 6 traps but they did not make it through the winter.

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

@@WoolieBsApiary That's really sad. In the UK there are some of them and they are now making a comeback. They even sell them there.

[@WoolieBsApiary]

@@inharmonywithearth9982 I've got a fellow I've been mentoring over messenger in Ireland that has them. I would love to get a queen or 2.