Bee Comparison Chart
Bee Race
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Good for Beginner Beekeepers
 
 
 
x
 
x
 
x
x
x
 
 
Overwinter well
x
x
x
 
 
 
x
x
x
x
 
 
Honey Production
x
x
x
x
x
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
Forages on cold/wet days
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
x
x
 
 
 
Comb building
 
 
 
x
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spring Build up
 
 
 
 
x
 
 
x
x
 
 
 
Northern Climate
x
x
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
x
 
Agreesiveness
x
x
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gentleness
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Produces large amount of
Propolis
x
x
x
 
 
 
x
 
x
 
x
 
Tendency to rob other colonies
 
 
 
x
 
 
x
 
x
 
 
 
Prone to drifting
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Queen difficult to locate
x
x
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
Hygienic behavior
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
x
x
x
Moderate Resistant to EFB
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Susceptible to Nosema
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
 
x
 
 
 
Tracheal Mite Tolerant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
x
x
Varroa Mite Resistant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
 
Resistant to Chalkbrood
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
x
 
 
Resistant to AFB
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Offspring queens
traits not same as parent
 
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
x
 
 
 
Brooder
 
 
 
x
x
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swarming Tendency
 
 
 
mod
 
 
low
low
low
low
high
low
Hybrid of ## + ##  = this breed
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
7+8
 
 
 
Good for Breeding and cross with other
breeds
 
 
 
 
 
x
 
x
 
 
 
x
Bee Races
1
 Western European
2
 German Black Bee
3
 Heartland Bee
4
 Italian
5
 Starline
6
 Cordovan
7
 Caucasian
8
 Carniolan
9
 Midnight
10
 Buckfast
11
 Russian
12
 Yugo
13
 SMR
14
 Minnesota Hygienic
15
 New World Carniolan
16
 Africanized