Charles Harper <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Beekeepers in the Russian bee breeding program are finding that chemical treatments are not necessary...

We do have USDA bee labs that will do the research for us.  Why not use them? 

I'm one of several beekeepers in Alabama participating in a study in conjunction with the Baton Rouge Bee Lab and Alabama A & M University.  I'm starting my second year.  The first has been pretty interesting, especially the queen introductions.  As we go into the second year we're slowly getting data as to how resistant these bees are to both the tracheal mites and the varroa mites.  We're also finding out how easy it is to integrate the Russian and SMR queens into Italian stock.  Initially I've had a lot better luck than what is considered normal, but that was not due to any expertise on my part.  As has been mentioned earlier, the bees succeed no matter what we do to them.  That seems to be the case with my lot.  As I get into them more during spring management, we'll see how the queens carried over from last year.  Had one experience where I was deeply into the hives just before a heavy thunderstorm.  I was amazed.  They acted like they do during a sunny day with a fairl!
 y heavy
 nectar flow.  They weren't testy at all.

Mike in LA, Lower Alabama

		
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