russians

[danno]

this past weekend i was in North Carolina and talked to a Russian queen breeder.  I did a search on here and cant find much info.  I talked to one of the old beeks in my area and he told me not to even think about it because they were to hot.  This gentalman in NC said just the opposit. Does anyone have experiance with these bees

[a wannabee]

This is my first year beekeeping and I have russians. Not by choice but because that was the only thing I could get. The  bees are very gentle. I used smoke the first time I did an inspection and realized I probably didnt need it. Everytime I've been in the hive after that I've not used smoke and they have not bothered me. Last time I opend the hive I had one buzzing around my head but I had just replaced the bottom board with a screened board and cleaned out their hive top feeder and scraped away an old pollen patty, looked at the frames and had the bodies lying on the ground. She may have rolled off of the wrong side of the hive that morning and wasnt happy to begin with but I'll take that everytime.

[Keith13]

I have Russians I started with two nucs I had one that was gentle one was hot, not sure but I think the queen was missing out of the hot hive when I got them. I brought them back and switched them out. the hive I received are as gentle as can be

[mairghead]

I got the opportunity to observe and "help" a beekeeper open up about 10 russian hives for the season a month ago.  They were definately different, but I was very impressed with them.  They did headbutt which I had never experienced before, but didn't mind since they chose that above stinging as the first option.  The beekeeper who let me tag along didn't wear any gear and if one of hives was upset, he put the lid back on and let them calm down before he came back a few minutes later.  He also didn't use smoke. (I can't tell you he didn't get stung, but he didn't get stung much.)

It was obvious that their behavior was different, but it did alay my fears that they were too "hot" for me to keep.  I'm keeping bees in an urban setting so I had written them off, but now I would consider them in the future. 

[Kathyp]

i started with Russians and they were very nice.  any kind of bee can be hot under the right circumstances.  the only reason i didn't stick with Russians was that i had to requeen and the Russians were more expensive and not immediately available. 

[jimmy]

Here's where the russians were imported and by whom.
Several years ago bees were dying in La. from mites these are resistiant to those mites. Jimmy

http://arsserv0.tamu.edu/is/pr/2006/060809.htm

[acbs]

danno,

This is our 5th year for Russians.  We heard about the aggressiveness of the Russians before we started, but liked the idea of their mite resistance.  My wife always says we'd survived raising teenagers, so figured we could handle the Russians. :-D  (BTW, the Russians are easier.) :-D
Started with 2 nucs from Arnold Honeybee Service in Knoxville, Ky.  Got a few more nucs and a few queens from Jester in West Ridge, Ark.  Got a Russian breeder queen from Glenn Apiaries in Fallbrook, CA. last year. Went from 6 wintered the 1st year to wintering 39 last winter.  We've had nothing but Russians so can't tell you from personal experience about the others, but most everyone around here has the others and we seem to have no more or even less trouble 'behavior wise' than they do, according to the way I hear them talk.  Will only occasionally need to wear a veil or use smoke and have worked them often under less than the best conditions.  Haven't used any medication other then wintergreen oil grease patties the first year and a few patties the second.  Had 100% survival rate until last winter when we lost some, mostly nucs I tried to bring through a crappy winter.  Have only had one hive I replaced the queen in because it was hot and believe they were not happy cause their queen appeared to be failing and needed replaced anyway.
I could go on, but you probably get the idea. :)  We have not been given a reason to this point of considering any other bee.  If you have anything near the experience we have had with them I'm sure you will feel the same. 
Search for 'acbs' on this site for a few of our posts about Russians.
Hope this helps,
Arvin

[Brian D. Bray]

Of the bees in my yard they range from calm to proddy in the following order;  Calmest-OWC, Calm-Russians, a little proddy-Italians, and proddy-MH.

[watercarving]

Got my first bee this year. They are Russian crosses from fatbeeman in Lula, GA. He breeds Russians with ferals to build resistance. I have worked them twice, this past Sat. and today. Wore a veil and no gloves either time. Very little smoke. Never had a bee touch me. fatbeeman is known for his gentle bees and they are all Russian or Russian based.

http://www.johncall.com/blog/beekeeping-first-inspection/