Bee races

In our center you can order the following queens:

  • Cecropia and Macedonica queens
    Apis mellifera cecropia, classified by Kiesenwetter, 1860
    Cecropia (west and south Greece) and Macedonica (east and north Greece) bee are the Greekbee races. Cecropia bee closely resembles A. m. Carnica in general appearance. Queens and drones are dark grey. The breeding of brood starts early in the spring and makes big colonies. Swarming tendency is high.Like Caucasia, Cecropia bees are notorious for their heavy use of propolis, at the hive entrance and inside the hive. They make also waxes between frames. Honey cells are wet capped, i.e. there is no air space between the honey and the capping. She produces a lot of honey especially in early spring honey flows. The difference between Macedonica and Cecropia is that Macedonica is gentler as it is one of the nearest relatives of the Carniolan bees.The Cecropia is ideal for use in breeding, passing on high fecundity without bad temper.

  • Carnica queens
    Apis mellifera carnica, classified by Pollmann, 1879 - Slovenia
    Better known as the Carniolan honeybee - popular with beekeepers due to its extreme gentleness. The Carniolan tends to be quite dark in color, and the colonies are known to shrink to small populations over winter, and build very quickly in spring. It is a mountain bee in its native range, and is a good bee for cold climates. It does not do well in areas with long, hot summers. Produce white cappings. Fly in cool weather. Pack brood nest with honey for wintering.

  • Caucasian queens
    Apis mellifera caucasica, classified by Pollmann, 1889
    This race is regarded as being very gentle and fairly industrious. Some strains are excessive  propolizers. Queens & drones are dark (black & grey), while workers are grey. It is the honeybee with the largest tongue.  Fly in cool weather. Not inclined to rob. Curtail egg laying during dearths. Can survive easy in cold climates. Make big colonies late in spring.

  • Buckfast X Cecropia
    Our Buckfast queens are. *The gentlest honeybee you will find. *Not inclined to rob. *They don't run on the frames. *Fly in cooler weather than other bees. * Pack brood nest with honey for good wintering. *Curtail egg laying during dearths.
    (*Available crossed with the Greek races with excellent results).

  • Ligustica queens
    Apis mellifera ligustica , classified by Spinola, 1806
    The Italian bee. One of the most favorite bee for commercial honey producers. The most commonly kept race in North America, South America and southern Europe. They are kept commercially all over the world. They are very gentle, not terribly inclined to swarm, and produce a large surplus of honey. Doesn’t use a lot  propolis. They have few negative characteristics. Colonies tend to maintain larger populations through winter, so they require more winter stores (or feeding) than other temperate zone races. Italians are light colored, most leather colored, but some strains are golden.

    • We use both natural mating and instrumental insemination in our breeding program.

    • Your comments for the queens you bought from us are welcome.

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