What variety of bees are recommended for loudoun county

[John]

I was wondering what bee varieties people use and what everyone likes about those varieties. 

[Bob Ragsdale]

All of my queens are mutts of some fashion but I would say that they tend to be Carniolian-ish with a fair bit of Italian. When retaining and breeding queens my selection criteria, in order of importance are 

1. Temperament (I like nice bees)
2. Mite tolerance (I tend to breed the colonies that require fewer might treatment interventions)
3. Frugality (ones that don't consume a great deal of their stores food in the winter)

 

 

 

[Frank]

After 10 years I say "bees are bees".  Buckfast, carniolan, Italian, Russian, any of the mite resistant breeds....ultimately, they are all the same.  Some can be hot, some make more honey but that doesn't seem to be a breed issue.  Rather than ask which do better - ask which do worse?  Which die after a year?  The answer is none.  It is the beekeeper and how you set up and care for the bees.  Personally I am waiting for my swarm traps to be filled with whatever mutt bees are attracted to my traps - although I have in my history gotten at least 2 swarms with marked queens.  Meaning they left a new beekeepers hive.  Regardless of what breed you populate your yard with that breed will slowly dilute with whatever is in the environment around you unless you are setting up to breed.  Bees do not breed with other hives in your yard the virgin queens are at least 3,000 yards away.  I've focused on care and IPM schedule and practices.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Frank

[John]

Thanks ! This is helpful