Multi-state field trials of ARS - Russian honey bees - 2. Honey production1999, 2000

Field trials of Russian honey bees (ARS Primorsky stock) propagated as quee n lines from queens imported from the far-eastern province of Primorsky wer e conducted in 1999 and 2000 in Iowa, Louisiana, and Mississippi. While hon ey production varied between apiaries and states, the honed production of t he majority of Primorsky queen lines met or exceeded commercial standards. For example, the best production came from Mississippi in 2000. There, the overall average production was 125 pounds, not including fall production. S elected breeder queens from Mississippi in 2000 averaged 185 pounds and ran ged from 149 to 23 pounds. Overall, given favorable nectar flows and beekee ping, ARS Primorsky stock, selected for retention in the breeding program a nd released to the beekeeping industry, will not sacrifice honey production .