>Have many of you have used the Russians?
I have.
>My beekeeper friend and I switched last year. He seems to think there is excessive swarming.
Maybe a little more.
>Do they actually resist the varroa mite as well as they are supposed to?
I didn't notice much difference.
>If they do have a natural resistance, would it not be bad for their strain to use pesticides?
I think it's bad to use pesticides for any bees.
>Tell me any experience you have had.
The ones I had were a bit more defensive, not in the stinging way, but headbutting and following further.