Here are my observations-
3 new packages started this spring
Italian- Gentle 7/10
Honey 9/10
Mite resistance 5/10
Build up 10/10
swarminess 3/10
Carie- Gentle 9/10
Honey 8/10
Mite resistance 6/10
Build up 9/10
swarminess 6/10
Russian- Gentle 4/10
Honey 4/10
Mite resistance 9/10
Build up 5/10 (but started late)
Swarminess 8/10
From my perspective, the italians have been the "easiest" with Carnies coming in close behind. I am leaving an extra super on the italians for winter, because I am afraid they will burn thru all their stores. They are just FULL of bees. The carnies have been really great, but as is their nature, needing more "playing" to keep from wanting to swarm at end of summer. Russians, well, they came late, which probably has a lot to do with things, definately a little more grumpy..not "hot" just needed alittle more smoke & more prone to sting, but built up much slower in comparison, did not make much honey, even for themselves, and had swarm cells present a lot. They didn't swarm, but would make cells, tear them down, I don't know..hard to tell what these bees were going to do. We will see how the Italians overwiner here. I have heard that most people do better with Carnies, and when I used to help out a neighbor growing up- I believe that is what he had as well. Next year I am going to raise some queens in nucs & see what happens. Then they will all be mutts. It will either give me some really great bees, hopefully positive traits, or really mean ones, I guess. I am just playing around for fun, so I am curious to see what happens with my "mix" of uncontrolled genetics. Oh, well...gotta keep dreamin' !! :)