Peter said: I cannot let Medhat's comment"no honey no money" in relation 
to ranking Hygienic Behaviour so far behind honey production in breeding 
selection criteria, go by without a dissenting view. He is inferring that 
the selection of  bees that prioritize health rather than hoarding in 
their daily activities will affect honey production so badly that the 
economic viability of the outfit will suffer. 

Bullshit!(I'm an Aussie so I'm allowed to say that!)

Comments: B.S. is universal language, you don't have to be an Aussie to 
say that.

I am  not inferring that the selection of  bees that prioritize health 
rather than hoarding in their daily activities will affect honey 
production so badly that the economic viability of the outfit will suffer.

Let me explain to you, When we started the breeding program in Ontario, we 
consulted with beekeepers and did a survey to rank traits in a priority 
list. As I mentioned they ranked honey production first, winterability, 
disease resistance and so on. We needed to work with our clients and 
encourage them to bite into breeding. In fact, we left the first two 
traits "Honey production and winterability" to them to select for. Then, 
we go and do the HBTM resistance testing and later we added hygienic. I 
used to tell them from my perspective, select what ever you like blue 
eyes, green eyes, good looking, blondies, etc...as long you like those 
queens, I am OK. All my goal at that time was to breed resistance into 
their bees. Thus, the beekeepers have something to brag about their queens 
and garnish the benefits of resistance and honey production.

By the way this philosophy worked out very well with our breeders in 
Ontario, Canada. I left this program since 2000, but the program has 
successfully continued. Each beekeeper is hooked to the idea and kept 
maintaining the breeding program.

Cheers.


medhat

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