Hi Bob & All,

> Dr. Harris & Dr. Harbo of the Baton Rouge Bee lab found that breeding from
> the above survivors did not produce a bee able to survive varroa. Period!
> The reason they switched to bringing in the Russian strain and exploring
> SMR.
>

But they used dopes in addition where Mr. Yoon has not for many years now.
Mr. Yoon's bees are at present clean. I am not sure about his combs but if
they are not he can fix this easily.

> "dumbed down" ?????
>

Yes! Agents that affect the nervous system will affect the memory.

>>  "weakened by the use of dopes"
>>
> Get real!  Another myth!
>

I am real and this is no myth. If it kills mites it will weaken the honey
bee and the queen, they lose vigor and die sooner than normal.

Try using these dopes on your self and see how you and your body react. If
you have to ware gloves to administer the stuff it tells me it does not
belong in a colony of bees.

> I'm afraid the beekeeping industry would be history by now along with the
> Almond,Apple ,cranberry, Blueberry and many other industries without the
use
> of chemicals to control varroa!.
>

Sounds like a lot of gloom and doom along with a fear factor. The statement
above is your story but there are other stories that are not as scarry as
yours. Stories of success and hope for a failing industry. Where have you
been while other beekeepers switched from using dopes to running clean
systems? You will tell me that the Lusby's are running African bees but
their bees do not act like Africans. Why has their bees not been looked at
more closely so their bees can be utilized in the honey bee industry, is it
because of fear? If you want the beekeeping industry to succeed we have to
get over this fear that you speak of. Operating in fear does not sound to me
to be the American way, we need to be free, Free of fear. Varroa mites
appear to be having you running your hives scared, and that's to bad.

> If you choose not to use "dopes" as you call chemicals used to control
> varroa that's ok with me and others but lets look at the big picture.
>

Yes, lets!! Your focusing on the mite and not the honey bees health as a
whole. The big picture is the future not the past.

Here is some more good reading for those who care.
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/part13.htm
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~acarolog/beemite.htm
http://www.kysu.edu/landgrant/CRS/twebster/newvarroa.pdf
http://www.kysu.edu/landgrant/CRS/twebster/varroamite.pdf
   . ..
c(((([
Keith Malone
Chugiak, Alaska USA
Caucasian Bee Keeper
http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney

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