Every beekeeper wants to fill their hives with the best bee stock. Given the several options to choose from, beginners are usually confused about what to order. They want to get high yields and simultaneously, handle a bee with a calm temperament. No one wants to invest time in a low honey producer. Other factors they consider include availability, resistance to pests and diseases and adaptability in their climatic region. While honey bees can live in various climatic areas, some are well suited for very hot or cold temperatures. Again, less defensive bees are easy to manage. 

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What are the easiest bees to take care of?

The best bee stock that is easy to manage is the Italian. It is also the most popular in managed hives. While any bee race will sting when threatened, some, like the Italians, seem more docile than others. This happens to be the best stock for beginners and is easy to learn from. Large-scale package suppliers usually include Italian genetics in their mix since most packages end up in the hands of novice beekeepers. Italians are famed for creating large populations and high honey yields. They also tend to adapt well to various climatic regions. However, they do not cope well in extreme tropical settings. They are not more prone to swarming than most of the other bee stocks. It takes a lot for the Italians to want to leave their hives. 

Which is the best bee stock for cold climates?

Besides being one of the calmest bee stocks, Carniolans best suited for cold climates. It originated from a wet, cold region. As such, it is more likely to forage on cool, wet days when other bee races hide in their hives’ comfort. This is the best bee to consider if you live in a cool, damp climate. They do a remarkable job of adjusting the number of workers in the hive to match available food resources. As such, they overwinter with a smaller population compared to Italians, increasing the chances of winter survival. They have explosive build-up in spring, which enhances them to build rapidly in population and take advantage of the honey flows. One of their cons is that they are prone to swarming once a nectar flow hits. 

Which are the best honey bees for pollination?

The best bee for pollination is the Caucasian. Its super long tongue ( proboscis)  reaches into the deepest flowers other bees can’t reach. They can extract nectar from deeper blossoms where other bee’s stocks can. However, they are not readily available like other bee stocks. They, however, make a lot of propolis to seal cracks in the hives, making it a bit hard to carry out hive inspections.

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Which is the bee race that is most resistant to varroa mites?

The Russian bee has good house cleaning behaviour, resisting varroa and tracheal mites. They tend to rear brood only in times of nectar and pollen flows. This bee stock performs optimally without other bee strains since cross-contamination among different stocks reduces the varroa resistance. They are also well adapted to the cold weather and overwinter in small populations.