The Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) is a sub-species of Western honeybee. It originates from Slovenia, but can now be found also in Austria, part of Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

Origin

The bee is the sub-species of the Western honeybee that has naturalized and adapted to the Krain region of Slovenia, the Southern part of the Austrian Alps and North Balkan. These bees are known as Carniolans in English. At present this race (i.e., subspecies) is the second most popular among beekeepers (after the Italian honeybees). It is favored among beekeepers for several reasons, not the least being its ability to defend itself successfully against insect pests while at the same time being extremely gentle in its behavior toward beekeepers. These bees are particularly adept at adjusting worker population to nectar availability. It relies on these rapid adjustments of population levels to rapidly expand worker bee populations after nectar becomes available in the spring, and, again, to rapidly cut off brood production when nectar ceases to be available in quantity. It meets periods of high nectar with high worker populations and consequently stores large quantities of honey and pollen during those periods. They are resistant to some diseases and parasites that can debilitate hives of other subspecies.

Anatomy and Appearance

Carniolan honeybees are about the same size as the Italian honeybee race, but they are physically distinguished by their generally dusky brown-grey color that is relieved by stripes of a subdued lighter brown color. Their chitin is dark, but it is possible to find lighter colored or brown colored rings and dots on their bodies. They are also known as the ‘Grey Bee’.

Carniolan bees are nearly as big and long as the Western European black bees, though their abdomens are much slimmer. Furthermore, the Carniolan bee has a very long tongue (6.5 to 6.7 mm, which is very well adapted for clover), a very high elbow joint and very short hair.

Source: The Hive and the honeybee, published by Dadant 1975

Character and Behavior

beneficial

• considered to be gentle and non-agressive
• can be kept in populated areas.
• sense of orientation considered better than the Italian honeybee race
• less drifting of bees from one hive to a neighboring hive
• when compared to the Italian race, they are not as prone to rob honey
• able to overwinter in smaller numbers
• able to quickly adapt to changes in the environment
• better for areas with long winters
• rythm of brood production very steep
• small use of propolis
• resistant to brood diseases
• for areas with strong spring nectar flow

not beneficial

• more prone to swarming
• low ability to build comb (not uniformly accepted as fact)
• low ability to thrive in hot summer weather

External Links

• Slovenian beekeeper webpage