the Carnica bee
(Carniolan honey bee)
Beekeepers call them briefly and lovingly CARNICA and mean the “Krainer” or actually the Carinthian bee.
It is a naturally formed race (apis mellifera carnica), emerged from the Western honey bee (apis mellifera).
Through their great colonies and a short time after their distribution in the German-speaking area, the Carnica bee replaced her sister, the Dark European bee (apis mellifera mellifera).
The Carnica bee is influenced by the dominated continental climate (northern Balkans) and therefore prefers hot summers and cold winters.
The overwintering of Carnica takes place in relatively small colonies with the advantage that the beekeepers can save up to 5 kg of winter forage (again, compared to Buckfast).
They develop rapidly in spring with a fierce swarm appetence which is natural and difficult to influence through breeding.
In summer, the Carnica stops the brood business while “pregnant“ breaks almost entirely.
This very gray bee is good for our climatic conditions and promises to recommend a particularly rich harvest early. We can recommend the Carnica bee to hobby beekeepers with up to 10 colonies, and you will have success with this bees when you keep in mind that you’ll need plenty of time.
It must be critically evaluated that the wide spread breeding of Carnica my lead to inbreeding because of this breeding method through which the genetic variability is very much limited.
An unidentified blood booster influences the breeding work in a very vivid way and prevents the breeder of disappointments.
The Carnica breeder with whom we work together, are responsible enough and import regularly new and preselected material from Slovenia, Austria and Hungary.
Influenced lines like TROISECK, SKLENAR or PESCHETZ are on the rise again.
If there were a "profile for Carnica", it would look like this:
- rapid development in spring
- Brood breaks during the “pregnant” gaps
- Great gentleness
- Weak desire to build nests
- Large swarms/ colonies
- Good sense of direction
- Weak tendency to robbery
