> The problem is maintaining those good traits in the hands of people who
do not know how to set up a breeding program.  It is unlikely to happen.
As pointed out, traits that are easy to identify (like color or gentleness)
are very easy to select for.
Traits like hygienic behavior or varroa resistance require testing of each
hive in the program.  '
The test for mite resistance (a mite wash) takes less time than a
freeze-kill hygiene test.  But one will need to continue to perform a lot
of them each year to maintain the trait after you obtain resistant
breeders, and you'd need to make sure that every drone mother colony came
from a breeder mated with drones from resistant stock.
Totally doable, but takes commitment and work.

Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
530 277 4450
ScientificBeekeeping.com

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