[CobaltBlue]

Hi! I started out last year, three hives. One lost the queen so I combined the leftovers with the other two.

I moved them to a friend's property during the dispute with the neighbors and one died.

I still have one that made it through the winter.

Due to the drought, we didn't get much honey, just a couple of gallons, which I gave away to family and friends.

I plan on getting at least one nuc or maybe two this year - it seems like having extra bees is a good idea if you want to have bees these days.

Italians, thinking of trying something different, maybe Carniolans, just to compare.

[AnAmericanMother]

I would get the Midnite hybrids before I got the Carniolans. I never used them, but some of my friends have had trouble with them. I'm not sure what your climate is like, but apparently they don't do well in hot and humid Georgia!

A long time ago, when we were first married and living in an apartment, I kept my bees at my parents' house, and somebody offered my parents two hives of old-fashioned Black Bees. Boy were those rascals MEAN! They chased my dad all over the yard! We requeened with two proved and registered Italians, though, and THAT settled their hash (expensive but worth it.)