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THE CARNIOLAN HONEYBEE
Janez POKLUKAR
The Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica Pollm 1879) originates
in Slovenia (with the exception of a small part of Primorska). Nowadays
it can be found in the regions of Koroska, Styria, Lower Austria in Austria,
a part of Hungary, Romania and predominantly in Croatia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Serbia.
It is used for the production of honey and other honeybee products
in densely populated areas.
The most important traits are its small consumption of winter
stores, fast spring buildup, its ability to be an exellent honey producer
on honeydew sources, and their fast minimization of brood in a period when
there are no adequate honey sources so that the brood disappears in early
autumn.
The Carniolan honeybee is very gentle towards bee-keepers and defends
itself against robbing of other bees. Bees are almost entirely unsusceptible
to bee mites (acariosis apis). In comparison to other types of honeybees,
the Carniolan honeybee can also resist nosema disease(nosemosis apium)
and American foulbrood (pestis apium).
The Carniolan honeybee is spread throughout the rest of the world as
well, except for polar and some tropical regions. It is considered
to be the second most popular bee race in the world. It even looks that
in the future it willsurpass the now most popular breed-an Italian honeybee
breed: Apis mellifera ligustica.
References:
1. Krvina, A., Mihelič, J.: Slovenia-country
of good bee-keepers. Ljubljana, Domus,1995, s. 3-13
2. Poklukar J., Babnik J., Božič J., Božnar A.,
Debelak M., Gregorc A., Jenko - Rogelj M., J Jelenc J., Kresal
D., Meglič M., Rihar J., Senegačnik J., Stark J., Strmole B.,
Šivic F., Vidmar U., Zdešar P.: Od čebele do medu.
Kmečki glas, 1998 , 472 s.
3. Rihar, J.: Vzrejajmo boljše čebele.
Ljubljana, 1972, 158 s.
4. Rinderer TE: Bee Genetics and breeding.
Academic press inc., 1986, 425 s.
5. Ruttner F.: Naturgeschichte der Honigbiene.
Ehrenwirth Verlag, 1992, 357 s.
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