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Title: Commercial Management of ARS Russian Honey Bees

Author
item TUBBS, H. - TUBBS APIARIES
item HARPER, M. - HARPER'S HONEY FARM
item BIGALK, M. - GOLDEN RIDGE HONEY FARM
item BERNARD, S. - BERNARD'S APIARIES
item Delatte, Gary
item Sylvester, H
item Rinderer, Thomas

Submitted to: American Bee Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2003
Publication Date: 10/1/2003
Citation: Tubbs, H., Harper, M., Bigalk, M., Bernard, S.J., Delatte, G.T., Sylvester, H.A., Rinderer, T.E. 2003. Commercial management of ARS russian honey bees. American Bee Journal 143(10):819-820.

Interpretive Summary: This paper discusses the more important aspects of the commercial management of ARS Russian honey bees. Some critical aspects of the management of ARS Russian honey bees are different enough from the stocks that beekeepers are familiar with that their success and economic return from these bees can be significantly increased if they are aware of these differences. Enough experience has been gained in managing these bees in various areas of the USA to show that these differences are generally the case and are important to beekeepers. As use of ARS Russian honey bees expands, it is important to provide new users and potential users, in particular, with guidance so that they can maximize their economic return from these bees through proper management.

Technical Abstract: The more important aspects of the commercial management of ARS Russian honey bees are described. Requeening is more difficult with some Russian stocks and queens usually take longer to start laying. Russian colonies overwinter well but may have a small cluster size in early spring. They buildup rapidly after pollen is available and require adequate supering, but shut down brood rearing when resources disappear. Russian honey bees are resistant to both varroa and tracheal mites.