The name of the bee breed "northern bee", in fact, does not indicate the territory of their habitat. But all the regions where northern bees are bred are due to cold and long winters. Previously, the breed was called Central European, Forest and Central Russian. More details about the breed and why its honey is considered unique - later in the article.
Features, advantages and disadvantages
The northern bee inhabits the vast territories of Siberia, the Far East, the Urals and the Altai Territory. The breed is also called "wild" because it prefers to live in the natural environment - forests and harsh climatic conditions.
This breed has a lot of features that qualitatively distinguish it from other bees:
- the breed is considered the most productive in the world;
- Bees are distinguished by their endurance and strength, they do a great job in a short period of time;
- the bee is very prolific;
- highly concentrated nectar;
- bees make unique honey in taste and healing qualities;
- insects tolerate winter well without using much food;
- wintering in northern bees takes place in an open area, they do not need additional shelter.
The main difference and advantage is resistance to cold (severe frosts and long winters).
The minuses of the breed include:
- tendency to swarm - sometimes unwanted swarm can be observed in 90% of the apiary;
- bitterness
- if you breed in a warm climate, it loses its unique abilities, begins to hurt.
Features of honey and honey collection
Although honey plants bloom in the northern regions for a very short period, this is not a problem for northern bees - with warming and the onset of spring, the bees immediately begin active activity. And, the peak of activity is manifested in the period of late honey harvest, when nectar has special beneficial qualities.
Northern bee honey is considered the best of all bee products.
The following features can be distinguished from the product features:
- honey is very well and stored for a long time - it does not ferment, and it does not sugar for a long time;
- the purity of honey - it turns out because insects repeatedly process it, enriching it with enzymes and all vitamins and useful substances necessary for a person;
- the composition includes natural antibiotics, as well as antifungal substances;
- bees collect nectar from various plants, berry bushes and aromatic herbs that grow only in the northern regions, this determines its unique composition and environmental cleanliness;
- the closer the region to the north, the higher the diastase enzyme content, and therefore the higher the quality of honey (for example, the number of this enzyme in the honey of southern bees is 9 units, in Bashkir honey - about 12, in Altai - 18, and honey of the north bees contains 30 to 50 units of the diastase enzyme).
Honey containing more than 30 units of the enzyme is considered medicinal, and up to 30 - food.
Honey of northern bees has healing properties and is used:
- as an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agent;
- to enhance immunity;
- as an additive to vitamin complexes during vitamin deficiency, as well as during the rehabilitation period after surgical interventions;
- as a drug against colds and flu;
- with regular use helps men restore potency.
Wintering
Wintering in northern bees takes place in hives covered with snow. It is snow that protects them from wind, frost and external influences, which helps bees maintain good health and avoid diseases.
Advantages of such a wintering:
- the hardening process occurs, which positively affects the immunity of insects;
- there is no need to purchase medicines, which is a cost saving, and also helps to improve the environmental performance of honey (it is known that the introduction of any medications would make a difference to the product received from bees);
- in houses there is no temperature difference, and the microclimate is always kept at one level comfortable for bees.
There are also disadvantages - with this method of wintering, the beekeeper does not have the opportunity to check the condition of the bees. The only thing that can and should be done to the owner of the hives is to cook enough food for the winter.
We invite you to learn more about the differences between bees of this breed, their breeding and maintenance, honey collection and the main features of honey by watching the video clip:
The acquisition of bees and honey
The price of honey from northern bees is approximately 2,500 rubles per kilogram in the regions of Russia. But, there is a high risk of purchasing a completely different product under the guise of northern bee honey.
It is impossible to buy real northern honey, for example, in Moscow. In all samples, the amount of diastase was not more than 7 units.
You can buy bees for breeding in Russia and other countries.
Several farms that sell bee packages:
- "Peasant economy" - Yaroslavl region;
- breeding reproducer, LLC "Bee" - Volgograd region;
- Nizhnesypovskoe LLC, breeding reproducer - Perm Territory, s. Winsky;
- LLC PPH SEVERNY Pchelotsentr - Arkhangelsk Region;
- breeding reproducer, Mountain Nectar Closed Joint-Stock Company - Altai Territory;
- Agricultural Production Cooperative "Red Banner", breeding reproducer - Chuvash Republic.
The price of bee packages is from 3,500 rubles.
Honey of the northern breed of bees is not only a delicious treat, but also the best natural medicine due to the high content of nutrients and vitamins, as well as enzymes and antioxidants. Northern bees are easy to care for, because they have high immunity and almost never get sick, and besides, they tolerate cold well.