RESULTS:

In comparison to the Carniolan bees, the Italian bees showed good results, but only with wildflower nectar sources and only in late summer or autumn. With other nectar sources, (such as coniferous nectar sources), the honey yields were disappointingly lower.

The Italian bees showed a greater ability in maintaining a larger colony size in autumn, even after the autumn honey flows are finished in Slovenia.

There is also no denying that the Italians show a lesser tendency to swarm as compared to the Carniolan and that the Italians do not require the same extent of management skills.

The results given by the Caucasian bees were similar to those obtained with the Italian ones. The Caucasian spring build up was noticeably smaller, while their summer colonies were very strong. They did not swarm, but did propolise a lot more.

As far as the population of each species is concerned, the output given by the Caucasian colonies was inferior to the Italian and the Carniolan colonies by 19% and 37% respectively. Even though Carniolan bees are well known for their being quiet, the Caucasian bees did behave much better, being the least aggressive and the quietest.

The most amazing results were obtained with the coniferous honey flow during winter, as both Italian and Caucasian colonies performed noticeably badly compared to the Carniolan . The reserves were similar in every beehives, i.e. 1/3 epicea and 2/3 Saturea montana. The beehives were placed 5 km away from the sea, at an altitude of 80m above sea level.

Over the winter, the Italian and Caucasian colonies developed nosemia and dysentery. Their strength deteriorated, to the point of delaying their development.

On the opposite, Carniolan colonies did not get sick and over-wintered in very well.

This is explained by the fact that the bees decrease their activity in winter. By contrast, the Caucasian bees are still very active in late autumn, and Italian colonies will maintain a small patch larva, up to 2dm² even in extremely difficult winter conditions. This characterises a higher rate of consumption of winter stores, which weakens the colonies.

Caucasian and Italian bees do not consume much of the fall honey (specifically picea honey) and winter reserves must not include wood honey leftovers. Italian bees consume too much during winter, which is only viable in countries where fall honey flows are of exceptional quality and happen late in the season.

Pavlé ZDEŠAR,

Professional bee keeper, expert for the Slovene Ministry of Agriculture with regards to the studies made about Carnica bees, journalist working for the bee-related Slovene magazine ‘Slovenski Cebelar’, and member of the National Selection Committee for Carnica bees.

HOME  PROMOTION 2004

Last modified on the 04/02/08 – ® Site created by Louis Ivanec– SC La Carniole ‘Import of Carnica queens from Slovenia’,19 allee du Gros Chene 63910 Chignat FRANCE