A Guide to Honeybee Breeds and Characteristics
Beekeepers worldwide work with various breeds of honeybees, each uniquely adapted to its environment and purpose. Understanding the traits of each breed helps in selecting the best bees for your local climate, temperament preference, and beekeeping goals. Understanding the variety of honeybee breeds and their unique qualities helps beekeepers make informed decisions for their environment and goals. Whether your priority is honey production, mite resistance, or docility, there’s likely a breed—or hybrid—perfect for your apiary.
Common Honeybee Breeds
African (Apis mellifera scutellata)
Also known as Africanized bees or “killer bees.”
Advantages: Extremely hardy, highly resistant to disease and parasites, excellent foragers.
Drawbacks: Highly defensive, prone to swarming, not suitable for urban or beginner beekeepers.
Buckfast
Advantages: Gentle, low swarming tendency, good honey producers, hygienic.
Drawbacks: Can be aggressive if poorly bred, some variability in traits due to hybrid nature.
Cardovan
Advantages: Very gentle, easily handled, light-colored variant of Italian bees.
Drawbacks: Less disease resistance compared to other breeds, moderate honey producers.
Carniolan (Apis mellifera carnica)
Advantages: Very gentle, quick spring buildup, good overwintering, low swarming if managed.
Drawbacks: Can swarm if not monitored, slower in hot climates.
Caucasian (Apis mellifera caucasica)
Advantages: Very gentle, long tongue (good for clover), efficient foragers in cooler climates.
Drawbacks: Excessive propolis production, susceptible to Nosema and robbing.
European Dark Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera)
Advantages: Cold hardy, long-lived workers, adapted to northern climates.
Drawbacks: Prone to aggression, less prolific, higher swarming tendency.
German Bee
Advantages: Ancestral strain in North America, cold tolerant.
Drawbacks: Defensive, less productive, mostly replaced by gentler breeds.
Italian (Apis mellifera ligustica)
Advantages: Very gentle, prolific, excellent honey producers, low swarming.
Drawbacks: Susceptible to robbing, less winter hardy, high brood production can deplete stores.
Russian
Advantages: Naturally resistant to Varroa mites, good wintering, hygienic.
Drawbacks: Can be defensive, slow spring buildup, unpredictable cross-breeding traits.
Spanish
Advantages: Heat tolerant, adapted to arid climates, efficient foragers.
Drawbacks: Less common, variable temperament and production.
Hybrid/Other
Hybrids are created to mix desirable traits. Examples include VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygiene) bees, Minnesota Hygienic stock, and various breeder-specific lines.
Advantages: Customizable traits, disease resistance.
Drawbacks: Genetic instability over generations, may require specific management.
Key Characteristics Compared
| Trait | Gentle (e.g., Italian) | Aggressive (e.g., Africanized) | High Mite Resistance (e.g., Russian) | Cold Hardy (e.g., Carniolan) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docility | Italian, Carniolan | Africanized, German | Buckfast, Russian | Carniolan, European Dark |
| Climate Tolerance | Spanish, Italian | Africanized (hot); Carniolan (cold) | Russian, Carniolan, Buckfast | Carniolan, Russian |
| Mite Cleanliness | Russian, Buckfast | Low in Italian & Caucasian | High in VSH, Russian | Moderate |
| Varroa Resistance | Russian, VSH | Low in Italian, Caucasian | Very High in Russian, Hybrids | Moderate |
| Honey Production | Italian, Buckfast | Variable | Moderate in Russian | High in Carniolan |
| Pollen Gathering | Caucasian, Italian | Strong foragers (Africanized) | Carniolan, Buckfast | Carniolan |
| Swarming Tendency | Low in Buckfast, Italian | High in Africanized, Carniolan | Moderate in Russian | High if unmanaged |
| Color | Italian (yellow), Cardovan (light gold) | German (dark), African (dark) | Varies | Carniolan (gray-black) |
| Tongue Length | Caucasian (longest) | Shorter in German | Average in most breeds | Long in Caucasian |
Advantages and Drawbacks Overview
Italian: Easy for beginners, great honey producers; not cold hardy.
Carniolan: Calm and cold hardy; watch for spring swarms.
Russian: Great against mites; can be unpredictable.
Buckfast: Balanced traits; depends on breeding quality.
Caucasian: Gentle and good for cool areas; sticky hives from propolis.
Africanized: Excellent survival; dangerous around people and animals.
Hybrids: Custom traits; may be inconsistent.
Breed Regional Preference Map (U.S. Focused)
| Region | Preferred Breeds |
| Southeast (e.g., GA, FL) | Italian, Buckfast, Africanized (wild) |
| Northeast (e.g., NY, PA) | Carniolan, Russian, Buckfast |
| Midwest (e.g., IL, OH) | Carniolan, Russian, Italian |
| Southwest (e.g., TX, NM) | Spanish, Italian, Africanized (wild) |
| Northwest (e.g., WA, OR) | Carniolan, Buckfast, Caucasian |
| Mountain West (e.g., CO) | Carniolan, Russian |
| Far North (e.g., MN, ND) | Russian, Carniolan, European Dark |