Karnika, bee: characteristics of the breed

Karnika (Krajina bee) is a highly productive breed, very popular with European beekeepers. For the relative unpretentiousness and high indices of honey collection, this species is also valued in Russia. Homeland karniki are the Alps of Austria and Yugoslavia. According to many beekeepers, by characteristics this variety combines the best qualities of the Carpathian and gray Caucasian bees.

Breed of bees of the carnica and their characteristics in appearance

One of the distinctive features of the Krajina bee is a very unusual appearance. Karnika has not yellow, like most other varieties, color, but gray with silvery inclusions. Each border of these insects is very thick, and the hairs themselves are short. As a result, the bee looks shaggy.

The size of this breed is not too big. The working insect weighs about 105 grams, the drone is 230 g. The uterus of the carnica bees is also rather tiny - up to 185-205 g. The length of the proboscis in insects of this variety is 6.4-6.8 mm. In individual individuals, this indicator can reach up to 8 mm. There are several types of the carnica. In our country, mostly Polish krai bees are bred.

Productivity of the breed

Karnika is a bee, which deserved popularity among beekeepers primarily for high indices of honey collection. In this respect, the breed is superior to most other varieties. Only for one day the family can collect up to 6-15 kg of honey.

Also the advantage of this breed is the ability not to lose in productivity even on the poorest honey collects. The good profitability of those apiaries on which the carnica is bred is also explained by the fact that these bees are very economical in terms of spending resources in the winter period. The maximum fecundity of the uterus of this breed is 1400-2000 eggs per year. This is actually a very good indicator. The ability to grow a large number of broods can significantly improve the profitability of the farm.

Features of behavior

Cinnamon - a bee breed is friendly and mild. On animals or people without valid reason, these insects never attack. The beekeeper can freely open the hive and perform all necessary manipulations. Bees at the same time do not show any aggression and only begin to actively run on the honeycombs.

Pros and cons of the breed

A certain shortcoming of the breed is the tendency to swarming. In this regard, the karnik is similar to the bees of the bacchist. However, with proper care and on rich honey collectors, this lack practically does not manifest itself. In addition, with timely measures taken, these bees quickly pass from the swarm to the working state.

To the pluss of the breed, many beekeepers include, among other things, the ability to orientate well in space. Foreign beehives with their own bees are never confused. Do not differ, and vorovitostyu. At the same time, the carnal bees can protect their own nests very well.

Features of the honey collection

Karnika - bees, whose productivity is very good, the best results are shown on early bribes. That is, they collect the most honey in the spring. At the same time, insects can actively work at a temperature of 10-12 degrees. This breed is not too sensitive to poor creepers. At the same time, it also easily passes from bad to good at the first opportunity. The best results Krajina bees show on a red clover. But also on other honey collectors are able to prove themselves to the maximum. In summer, in bad weather, insects do not fly out of the hive.

In the first place, the carnica fills the brood portion of the nest with honey. Then the insects go to the store. The honey-print of these bees is often dry and light.

Sometimes beekeepers are interested in what a bee is better - a carpathian or carnal. There is no single answer to this question. Performance indicators for both these species are approximately the same. However, the collection activity of the carpathian, in contrast to the carnica, which prefers to "work" for the most part in the spring, depends on the periodicity of the flowering of good honey plants during the warm season. Thus, the desirability of breeding a particular variety is determined only by the peculiarities of the flora of a particular locality.

Hibernation of bees

Karnika is a breed of bees, capable of carrying without loss to itself including low temperatures. On the measure of resistance to cold, it is only slightly inferior to the most enduring in this plan of the Central Russian variety. At the same time, the Caucasus in terms of the indicators of winter hardiness is much higher.

To the characteristic features of this bee, beekeepers until recently included, among other things, spasmodic development. The Krainian breed in the rather feeble families overwintered. In reserve for the winter bees have about 6-9 complete frames. This feature is due primarily to the fact that beekeepers in Germany and Austria, the countries in which the krainka is the most popular, for a long time bred this variety in small hives equipped with a lid from behind. But since now specialty stores in Europe have started to offer special extensions, allowing to expand the hives arbitrarily to any size, lines of these bees have appeared, wintering with strong families. However, in principle, the breed does not change at all, but rather, it comes to its original state. The fact is that this way these bees wintered once in Hungary and Romania.

Resistance to diseases

With various kinds of diseases, owners of apiaries, specializing in the breeding of this breed of bees, struggle extremely rarely. Cornice - the bee is very resistant to both rotting and nosematosis. In this respect, it is not inferior even to a very unpretentious Central Russian bee. Diseases of brood in this breed are practically not found. This is due primarily to the high vitality and vigor of insects. The only exception is calcareous litter (ascosferosis). Recently, beekeepers recorded quite a frequent occurrence of a similar problem in the Krai bee.

What you need to do to prevent swarming

So, the carnica is a bee prone to swarming. What will the beekeeper have to do to prevent the loss of a part of the Krajina bees in the spring? The swarming of these insects occurs as a result of:

• A sharp decrease in ferromones in the uterus and, as a consequence, the appearance of a large number of tars;
• The instinctive readiness of young bees to begin harvesting nectar in the absence of it in the early spring.

If the breeds of bees bacchist and carnica stop the construction of honeycombs and do not fly out of the hive, and the uterus has reduced the laying of eggs - that means the insects have prepared for swarming. It can be prevented by taking the following measures:

• Strengthening the ventilation of the hive to stimulate the construction of additional honeycombs;
• Reducing the incoming light.

Also often beekeepers struggle with swarming by expanding the nest using a multi-body structure. In this case, the uterus is fenced off by the dividing grid, and the brood is forced to move to another section. Thus, family congestion can be avoided. Young working bees have an additional area to collect nectar, and the uterus has the opportunity to actively multiply.

How to treat ascospeclosis

The breed of bees of the carnica, about which good reviews, to such a disease as the calcareous litter, as already mentioned, unfortunately, is not too stable. This fungus is caused by Ascosphaera apis mold, which infects the larva and pupae of any species. The natural way this mushroom from hives never disappears. Because of its supreme vitality, bees can not cope with it on their own.

Determine the infection can be primarily on a white coating, reminiscent of calcareous, on the body of larvae. Often, the latter also increase in size, as the fungus grows not only from the outside, but also inside their bodies. White coating with ascosphere appears on the cell cover. At the final stage of development of the fungus, the larva turns into a solid calcareous lump. Throw it from the hive worker bees themselves.

There is an infection most often because of too wet microclimate at a low temperature. There is also a risk of developing the disease if the beekeeper does not follow the basic rules of hygiene when working with a hive. Most often, the infection is trite through dirty inventory. The beehives can also be other bees (from already infected families).

If the family falls ill with ascospenosis, the first thing to do is to remove the frame from the hive with the infected litter. Further processing with drugs "Ascocin", "Unisan" or "Nystatin." Of folk remedies, garlic wrapped in gauze is often used. The bees are transplanted to another, clean hive. The nest is cut. Garlic is placed in several places - in corners, on the frame, etc.

Bees carnica: reviews of the breed

Praise Russian beekeepers this variety, above all, of course, for its high productivity. Judging by the reviews of many beekeepers, with good care this breed can give honey 20-30% more than most others. In this case, the product itself is distinguished by its excellent taste qualities.

The ability to easily endure harsh winters is one of the virtues that distinguishes beekeepers. Reviews about this breed from Russian beekeepers are good for this reason too. Because the climate in our country is severe. And that is why many productive breeds of bees in Russia, and especially in the northern regions, simply can not be planted. The only thing that a beekeeper needs to know, who decided to tackle the carnica, is that it is not too late to expose the frame for drying. This can lead to weakening of the family, and consequently, its death in winter.

Also, it is highly advised that experienced beekeepers try to cross this bee with other breeds. Of these experiments, nothing good usually goes.

Conclusion

As you can see, the carnica - the bee is very productive and quite unpretentious. Honey from this variety can easily get the maximum amount. But, of course, good results in the breeding of this breed can be achieved only if all the required technologies are met. In spring, the bees need to be monitored in order to prevent swarming. Work with the hive is allowed using only clean, disinfected inventory.