Learning About Caucasian Honeybees

We took a trip out to my little brother’s apiary (Queen’s Landing) in West Little Rock, Arkansas to learn about the Caucasian breed of honeybees. The Caucasian honey bee is native to the country of Georgia in the Caucasus mountain region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea; mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia . They build up more slowly in the spring, which is an excellent trait for long Colorado winters. An Old World type, Caucasians are revered for their honey production and their extreme gentleness. Of all the honeybee varieties, Caucasians have the longest tongues which allows them to forage flowers that others cannot. They also fly earlier in the spring, and later in the fall when the Colorado weather is cooler. Additionally, they produce more propolis (a substance they make with tree resin that is antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial that keeps the hive sanitary and sealed off from cold drafts) than other strains resulting in a cleaner, more hygienic hive. Caucasians are known for being able to withstand harsh winters with smaller clusters and are frugal with their winter honey stores. They also tend to be less swarm prone than other varieties and have low mite counts. Our mission is to bring them into Colorado for hobbyist beekeepers as an alternative to Italians, Carniolans, and Russians…we were very impressed with what we saw. Enjoy.