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There are more than 20000 species of bees around the globe, but only 25 of them are honeybees. In Our Country, Central , Ukrainian steppe, yellow and gray mountain Caucasian, Carpathian, Italian, karnika, bakfast, Far Eastern breeds of bees are bred. Each of them has characteristic, inherent only to it, features and is adapted to certain climatic conditions. The result of honey collection, the health and growth of the bee colony, and the reduction in the cost of production depend on the correct choice of breed in a given area. Karnika is a popular variety in Europe with many positive qualities. The disadvantages of karnik bees are insignificant and do not detract from their merits.
Honey bee in the photo:
Description of the Karnika bee breed
The bee breed karnika or krainka (Apismelliferacarnica Pollm) was bred at the end of the 19th century in the historical region of Slovenia – Krajne, by crossing the Cypriot drone and the Italian bee. Distributed in Eastern and Western Europe, popular in Our Country. Within the breed, several main strains are distinguished – Troizek, Sklenar, Peshetz, Serbian, Polish, Lower Austrian, Hollesberg.
With some minor differences, they have characteristic features:
- large – weighing from 100 to 230 mg;
- in color silver-gray, thick-haired;
- the abdomen is pointed, the chitinous cover is dark in color;
- on the dorsal half-rings there are signs of light-colored rims;
- a large number of hooks on the rear wing;
- proboscis 6-7 mm long;
Some varieties are characterized by yellow stripes on the first 2-3 tergites. The color of the chitinous cover can also vary – be black, dark brown.
Description of the queen bee karnika
Queens of the karnika breed are almost twice the size of worker bees: an infertile queen weighs 180 mg, a fetal queen weighs 250 mg. The belly is less hairy, the color is dark brown with light brown stripes. The wings are almost half as long as the body. Daily egg production is 1400-1200 pcs. with a total weight of 350 mg.
Describing in the reviews the experience of breeding karnik bees, beekeepers argue that they are replaced quietly, without war, temporary coexistence of two queens is acceptable. The family usually lays 2 queen cells, this amount is enough for productive reproduction. At a temperature of + 5 ° C, the uterus of karnik bees can begin scarring even in winter. The fertility of the queen bee karnik has a positive effect on the early spring honey flow – the family is completely ready for it and has gained strength.
How do karnik bees behave
They have a calm and peaceful nature. The beekeeper can safely inspect the nest – the bees do not show aggression, the queen continues to lay eggs, the insects remain on the frame. Hardworking. They have a developed sense of smell, orientation in space. They are prone to attack, but they protect their hive from thieving bees well. Roylivy, in the absence of a bribe, this property is enhanced – the beekeeper needs to take preventive measures. For this reason, they are unsuitable for nomadic apiaries.
Adapted to flying in mountainous areas, they can collect honey at an altitude of 1500 m. Cloudy and cool weather is not an obstacle to flying out of the nest. With the onset of the main honey flow, the cultivation of brood is limited. Excellent builders – begin to form honeycombs from early spring, even with a weak bribe. Honey is put first in the brood part of the hive, then in the store. The honey signet is white and dry; when building honeycombs, karnik bees practically do not use propolis. For insects, hives with a vertical nest expansion are needed. Self-clean the hive from the wax moth and varroa mite.
How to endure wintering
They begin to prepare for wintering early, at the end of the main summer bribe. With a lack of pollen, laying and rearing of brood are limited. They hibernate in small colonies, consuming food sparingly. They do not require the creation of special conditions – they live in a hive with a wall thickness of 3,5-4 cm and with a regular frame. By spring they come strong, with a minimum amount of death, with clean nests, rapidly increasing families. The bee is characterized by high endurance and winter hardiness. If the frost is stronger – 20 ˚С, the hives need to be insulated. Feed should be stored 20-25 kg before the first flights for nectar.
Resistance to diseases
Karnik bees have high immunity to most diseases, genetically resistant to honeydew toxicosis. In the case of a cold long winter, insects are prone to nosemosis. They are not susceptible to acarapidosis and paralysis. The brood and queen bee also rarely get sick.
Recommended breeding regions
Krainki are popular with beekeepers in Central Europe, Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland. Karnika bees are adapted to living in regions with cold winters, short springs and hot summers.
Productivity of the breed
Karnik bees are hardworking and able to work on any bribes. Due to the long proboscis, they are able to collect nectar with low sugar content. Easily find the best source of nectar and switch to it. Works well on red clover. Honey productivity is 1,5 times higher than that of other breeds. Better than other breeds use early honey collection. Under good weather conditions, the initial productivity is within 30 kg/ha. In the course of the research, it was noticed that the grains collect honey worse in places where the food supply is represented only by wild plants. They fly to work 20-30 minutes earlier than other types. They are good in areas where winter rapeseed and clover are grown – they provide high-quality early honey collection. Collect nectar and pollen from fruit bushes and trees and pollinate them.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
The popularity of the karnika bee breed ensures its calmness and lack of irritability. Benefits also include the following factors:
- high honey productivity;
- exceptional diligence;
- economy in feed consumption;
- weather changes do not affect performance;
- honeycombs are always white and clean;
- easily tolerates transportation;
- good adaptability;
- high fertility;
- rapid development of the brood;
- good coordination;
- strong immunity;
- produce a large amount of royal jelly;
- high wax production.
The karnika breed also has some disadvantages:
- swarming with a weak honey flow;
- karnik bees practically do not produce propolis;
- genetic instability;
- restriction of the uterus in scarring;
- brood randomly fills several frames, which creates inconvenience for the beekeeper;
- high price;
- late scarring in warm autumn, which leads to wear and tear of bees and overspending of food.
Having tried to work with karnika bees, beekeepers willingly master its breeding.
Features of reproduction
Karnik bees are characterized by intensive spring development, they quickly increase the strength of colonies and work on early honey plants. In the case of a return spring cold snap, the rate of brood rearing is not reduced, using even scarce sources of nectar and pollen. To do this, they fly out of the hive even at a temperature of + 10 ˚С.
The colony loses a lot of adult flying bees, soon they are replaced by a sufficient number of young individuals. In the event of a severe and long winter, breeding may start late, and by the beginning of the main honey collection, the strength of the swarm will be low. If pollen stops flowing to the uterus, it stops producing brood. For its correct and healthy development, the temperature in the hive should be within + 32-35 ˚С.
Features of breeding
In reviews of karnik bees, beekeepers point to their unpretentiousness and low purchase and maintenance costs, which more than pay off in a short time.
Bee packages with a karnika family are purchased in special stores. The kit includes:
- 3 frames of dadan with larvae and 1 covering frame;
- family of karnika bees;
- queen bee under the age of 1 year with a label on the back;
- food – candy cake weighing 1,5 kg;
- water with a special, insect-friendly drinking device;
- packaging.
In March-May, karnik bee colonies are rapidly developing, the highest peak is June-July. They create large families, the nest can occupy up to 3-4 buildings.
Content Tips
Before acquiring karnika bees, you should find out which of the strains is best for a given region. Some are good for an early spring bribe, others for a summer one. The productivity of the family will increase significantly if the queen bee is kept together with the drones of the Italian breed. The apiary can be kept both on flat and on relief terrain. Periodically, you need to invite the veterinarian to examine the insects. Suitable for nomadic apiaries – they easily get used to a new place and do not fly into other people’s hives.
It is important to provide the bees with water to conserve their energy. In hot weather, the ventilation holes in the hive must be opened. For productive beekeeping, karnik strains require maintaining the purity of the breed; when crossed with other species (even intrabreed strains), they lead to a loss of breeding qualities.
Comparison of several breeds
When choosing a breed of bees for a given area, a beekeeper needs to take into account many factors – adaptability to climatic conditions, fertility of queens, immunity, viciousness, roiling. Each breed prefers a certain range of plants for honey collection – this must be taken into account when analyzing honey plants growing around. The Central bee tolerates the long, harsh winter best of all, but is aggressive, productive on a plentiful short bribe. It is focused on one type of flowering plants – most of all it is intended for the production of monofloral honey. Caucasian bees, on the contrary, easily move from one honey plant to another and work well on weak bribes.
Which is better: karnika or karpatka
Beekeepers cannot decide which breed of the two is better. With many similar characteristics, karnika bees show a number of advantages:
- higher productivity;
- work at low temperatures and during heat, in cloudy weather and even during light rain;
- protect the hive from wax moth, keep it clean;
- when carrying out the necessary measures, they easily get out of the swarm state;
Separate lines of the karnika bee breed hardly endure wintering, leave it very weakened, develop poorly, work slowly, in which they are inferior to the Carpathians. Living in one place for 5-6 years, the krainki can become extremely quarrelsome. Carpathians are more prone to theft, do not pay attention to the wax moth. If the family began to swarm, it is very difficult to transfer it to a working state.
Which is better: karnika or buckfast
Buckfast is also characterized by high honey productivity, good immunity, economy and cleanliness. Not aggressive and not rebellious. Karnika are inferior in frost resistance, flight begins with the onset of heat, but they work better in wet weather. The uterus fills the cells with brood in a continuous order, does not move to other frames until one is completely filled. Buckfast bees, like karnika, need to expand the nest during reproduction. It is convenient for a beekeeper to work with them – honey is placed at the top of the nest or on the side. When choosing between breeds of buckfast or karnika, one should take into account the climatic conditions and the economic factor – the former are more expensive.
Conclusion
The disadvantages of karnik bees are known in comparison with other breeds in similar conditions. Weaknesses of the breed can be partly controlled (swarming, genetic instability), otherwise beekeepers accept them and adapt. In reviews and comments about karnik bees, positive assessments prevail, honey productivity, endurance, high immunity, calmness and friendliness come to the fore.
Reviews of beekeepers about karnik bees
