Many novice beekeepers face the difficult decision of choosing the right bee stock. The currently available bee races are heterogeneous blends of several bee stocks introduced from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. To choose the right strain, you need to know the pros and cons of each bee stock. Italian bees are the most famed in the United  States. 

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Can you mix bee breeds?

Yes, you can mix bee breeds in your bee yard. Robbing and fighting are common to any bee race in times of nectar dearth though some are worse. Some specific bee races are more aggressive than others. Robbing cases can be solved among colonies by using robbing screens and restricting the entrance size to the width of a single bee. Bees can also drift unnoticed from one hive to the other and get incorporated into the new hive. For instance, carniolans bees can drift to Italian hives.  

What are the desirable traits of bee stocks?

Hardy

Different bee races have varying resistance to diseases and pests and adaptability to climatic regions. Beekeepers choose a bee stock that is adapted to their regions. 

Productive

While all bees are known to be hard workers, some are more productive than others. Every beekeeper would like to raise a bee stock that produces a lot of honey. 

Temperament

Some bee races are more defensive than others. Beginners would prefer less aggressive bees since they are easier to manage. 

Can you interbreed various bee races?

Yes, some of the popular bee strains came into existence through interbreeding different races. Most colonies contain mixed genetics. While they are labeled as carniolans, Caucasians, or Italians, the truth is that pure strains are hard to come by. Queens are mated openly by many drones in the vicinity.  Researchers are always in pursuit of a better bee breed. Carniolans plus Italians(Italian- Carn Mix have a good mix of genetics. 

The best bee breed for beginners?

A new beekeeper would prefer a less defensive bee race. All bee types will sting when provoked, but some are more aggressive than others. The Africanized bees can be a nightmare for a beginner though there are known to have good mite control. Most beekeepers prefer the Italian. In fact, this is common bee stock in managed hives. It is also easily available and is a high honey producer.  They also tend to build up fast in spring. 

Can you combine two bee colonies?

It is possible to combine two bee colonies. Beekeepers mostly combine hives when weak or have one weak hive that needs a boost.  There is no need of combine hives that are strong and healthy and are functioning well. You can also add a queenless hive to a queenright hive if queens are unavailable and bees cannot raise one. 

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Do honey bees get lost?

Honey bees have exceptional navigational skills using the sun as a focal point. When they go out to forage, they go back to the hive by flying in a straight line. Again they have an amazing mental map( mental GPS) that takes note of the landmarks in the vicinity of the hive. This gets imprinted in their minds after taking a few flights out of the hive. These navigation skills help them not to lose their way back to the hive though they could drift to other colonies. Some bee races are more likely to drift than others. Navigation skills are also affected by pesticides and herbicides.