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Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 19:26:15 -0500
From: Charles Harper
To: allen dick
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Russian crosses

>> The problem I had in my very limited (statistically insignificant)
>> experience with Russian crosses was that they were, for me,
>> intolerably "mean."  I wonder if others with statistically more
>> significant experiences could relate similar stories.
>
> I've heard the same, but look at this:
> http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/2003/diary011003.htm.  (go to Friday).
>
> We were all tearing these hives apart repeatedly, without smoke or
> veils, as I recall, and I don't think anyone was stung.
>
> The more I think about it, the more I wonder if the bees that are being
> sold as Russians are really the Russians that we saw at the lab.
>
> Charley? You have the real Russians, but not everyone can afford one of
> your breeders.  Would I be putting you on the spot to ask you to mention
> several commercial suppliers who get stock from you and have your
> confidence?

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Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 19:26:15 -0500
From: Charles Harper
To: allen dick
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Russian crosses

These are the one that sell Russian Queens all the others only raise queens for their own bees they value the Russian line for what they are.
They are the gentlest  bee I have ever worked. sending you some pictures of beekeepers working Russians.

Harper's Honey Farm
Charlie
labeeman@russianbreeder.com
Ph# 337 298 6261

(click these pictures to enlarge them)

Carl sent me the PowerPoint file discussed on BEE-L

Here is the PowerPoint presentation. (2.5 MB) (click to download)

Or, click here for a PDF version (smaller - 375 KB - and universally readable)

And below is his email that came with it.

From: "Carl & Virginia Webb"
To: "allen dick"
Subject: Varroa Phoenix.ppt
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 20:32:36 -0500

Allen,

The reason for the spike in the varroa count in the spring of '06 is that the Russian hives were much more populous than the Italian hives and thus a higher sticky drop but not more mites per bee. I'll answer your Bee L email next week but now I will tell you that I have purchased a USDA released breeder each year since they were first released in 2000. This is my eighth year of using pure Russian breeder queens and I can say that my apiaries are stocked with near pure Russian bees. I do raise and sell queens and nucs but no large number of queens because of honey production conflict.

I currently use exclusively Pierco plastic brood foundation waxed and with good results. I have not seen proof that small cell is beneficial and do not believe the research has been done. My bees handle Pierco beautifully. I use 10 frames in the hive body because I believe wider spacing between frames is contrary to the natural brood nest and may adversely affect winter survival as well as reduce the number of frames needed for brood.

Carl

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(I agree with your comments on Pierco, assuming you are using the deep frames. The mediums, unfortunately, have a different cell size -- allen)

Honeybeeworld.com | Selected Topics | BEE-L