VSH Caucasian Package Bees – more info coming soon! These packages include VSH Caucasian queen bees
Still available – purchase 5 frame NUCS here – Click for Bee NUCS
Apis mellifera caucasica. Silver gray to dark brown in color, this bee originated in the rugged Caucasus Mountains. They tend to make a lot of propolis, the resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds and other botanical sources. This can be good (it’s antiseptic for the hive) and bad (too much is a sticky mess). Caucasians build a strong summer population, and can be quite productive. They can also be excitable, so beekeeping experience counts with these bees as they get riled easily and take a while to calm down. They can be more prone than other bees to Nosema infection, so you might need a bee doctor once in a while.
VSH Caucasian Package Bees Strengths
- Shows strong disposition to breeding strong and very prolific populations
- VSH trait exhibits mite sensitivity and mite hygienic behaviors
- Overwinter well
- Have a somewhat longer tongue than other bees
- Can get into a wide variety of forage even in areas with marginal resources
- Thanks to the special structure of its proboscis, the bee is able to extract nectar from even the most uncomplicated flower. Caucasian grey bees are considered to be the best bees for pollinating legumes and clover.
- They are orientated when choosing a honey plant. The Caucasian bee first determines the main source of nectar, then flies to another.
- Given the unique ability of this species to determine the level of nectar in the source, preference is given to specimens with a lower percentage of sugar content.
- The beekeeper does not need to pay close attention to the queen during egg-laying. The worker bees take care of everything.
- Careful attitude of bees to the hive. They can produce wax and propolis in sufficient quantities for its arrangement. The seal of honey they have is wet, dark in color.
- The change of queen occurs without fuss. In order to prevent swarming, it is necessary to remove the excess part of the queen cell in time and slightly enlarge the nest.
- Two mothers can coexist in one nest, although this is often a temporary phenomenon.
Caucasian Package Weaknesses
- They can get unruly when provoked
- More susceptible to infection than other races
- Most populations are susceptible to nosema, so it pays to constantly inspect hives to prevent problems in time.
- In some cases, brood is located on frames that are far away, which provokes mixing of bee bread and honey.
