Not sure of the exact variety here in the United States. They came from the Primorksy region. they were used for breeding mite resistence because they were already surviving the mites. They aren a bit defensive, but in odd ways. They tend to head butt alot while not stinging so much. They are watchful guards, but not runny. Swarminess and productivity are a bit more npredictable. They were brought to the U.S. by the USDA in June of 1997, studied on an island in Louisiana and then field testing in other states in 1999. They went on sale to the gneral public in 2000. We ship our queens U.S.P.S Express Mail. Please email us or call our office for a shipping rate. 360-652-8967. Quantity Pricing: 1-5: $25.00 6-25:$22.00 26-49:$20.00 50-99:$18.00