QUEEN BREEDING

Indigenous Slovenian race –  the Carniolan honey bee

The Carniolan bee got its name from its country of origin. It is also known as Apis mellifera carnica It is the second most widespread species in the world. This race is an indigenous Slovenian race and hereby the only protected indigenous race in the EU. This bee species is suitable for professional beekeepers as well as those who are considering beekeeping as a hobby. Due to its diligence and serenity, the Carniolan bee is very popular around the world.

Its authoritative features are the reason it is very popular with professional beekeepers. The Carniolan bee is hard-working and therefore makes a large honey crop. With its gentleness and seldom stings it is highly recommended for hobby beekeepers. It is persistent and resistant to heat and winter temperatures. In quite small bee families it spends the winter with modest consumption of food supplies. It differs from other races by rapid and intensive spring development. The Apis mellifera carnica is suitable for all beekeepers who do not mind spending much of their time with bees. Under optimal conditions and with its diligence, it rapidly delights its beekeepers with full hives. 

The queen is the soul of the family

The queen is the mother of all specimens in the bee family. Her quality is crucial to the strength and productivity of the whole family. 

She passes her authoritative features and external signs on to honeybees. They inherit the color of their abdomen, length of the proboscis, gentleness, foraging zeal, tendency to swarming, immunity to diseases and many other characteristics from their mother. The queen regulates the activities and affects the atmosphere in the family and unites all members of family in a harmonious biological whole. 

Many years of experience – from 1999 on

You cannot become a breeder overnight. Queen breeding is a complex branch which requires a broad knowledge and many years of experience. We are proud to say that queen breeding has already become a tradition in our beekeeping. My father came across breeding when he was a high school student. During his studies at the Faculty of Biotechnology, he took part at field practice hours and lectures on beekeeping together with my mother. He remembers the field practice hours on breeding. Those impressed my father as well as my mother so much that, after they had finished their studies, they started breeding queens. Because beekeeping has always been an important part of our family, I actually did not have any option but to stick to it. My life revolves around bees. I started helping with the breeding when I was only a teenager and therefore started collecting experience in this field very soon. I took over the whole beekeeping, including the queen breeding, a couple of years ago from my parents. Certainly this does not mean that they are not a part of it anymore. In contrary – they still help me with their broad knowledge as well as with all the tasks. 

Racial purity 

Our breeding colonies  reach 100% purity of the Carniolan bee. They are inspected and approved each year by the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association and The Agricultural Institute of Slovenia. By selection we ensure racial purity and prevent genetic mixing with other bee races.

Productivity 

It is very important for the further breeding that we use eggs that come exclusively from the best families. In our beekeeping we carry out selection on 400 bee families. 

Based on a yearly track, we pick out families with a tremendous honey crop. Gentleness, immunity to diseases and the racial purity are features that are considered in the selection. 

Breeding stations and mating

We choose locations for our breeding stations carefully. In our beekeeping, we breed authoritative queens, which means that it comes to an uncontrolled mating and therefore it is very important that we choose appropriate locations. 

• Breeding stations are located in Slovenia. 
• They are placed far enough from all the borders with neighboring countries. 
• In the mating apiary, we have selected drone mother hives. 

The Carniolan bee is an indigenous Slovenian bee race, which means that it is only legal to keep bees if they are from this race. This and many other measures we take make it possible for us to reach a comparable genetic purity with purebred queens. 

• Phone +386 (0)31 727 837
• E-mail: info@kapun.net
• Queens are available from the 1st of May until September 
• Personal pick-up or registered shipment (Post of Slovenia)
• Payment methods: advance payment
• Carnica Bienenkönigin standbegattet: 22 EUR
• Versand Österreich: 6 EUR, Versanddauer: 1-2  Werktage
• Versand Deutschland: 9 EUR, Versanddauer: 2-3  Werktage
• Live delivery guaranteed