I don't know how others feel, but...

I didn't find that Buckfast bees...Texas strain...was very resistant to 
Chalk. I requeened most of my operation with Texas Buckfast back in the 
late 80's/early 90's. This was to get some Tracheal mite resistance. Well, 
that worked for Tracheal, but the level of Chalk exploded. I then requeened 
Chalky colonies with Hygienic Carniolans, a few years later. While they 
cleaned up the mummies, it appeared to me from the brood pattern that while 
I couldn't find mummies, the colonies were still losing brood to Chalk. 
That's when I started raising my own stock from colonies that showed no 
evidence of Chalk. Now, I only find Chalkbrood rarely.

I raised queens from a Minnesota Hygienic breeder in '04. Big fat yellow 
queens...egg laying machines!! Unfortunately, they winter poorly. Marla 
told me that they were never selected for Tracheal resistance, so I wonder 
if that is the problem with their inability to winter in my climate. They 
are Italian stock, designed to be used by the migratory beekeepers who 
winter in Texas. Probably a great bee for them...but not for me, here in 
the North.

I wouldn't use either of these stocks, but would buy a hygienic Carniolan 
strain.
Or perhaps a Russian queen from Francois Petit in Ontario, Canada. They are 
selected for being hygienic. You can find him at:

   http://www.igs.net/~pilgrimventures/The_Russian_Bee_Breeding_Program.htm

good luck
Mike


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