John Day wrote:
>
>
> how are we to develop resistant bees if we treat all bees?  those left
> untreated, and which survive, can certainly be declared as resistant, even
> if just somewhat.  natural selection will cause some colonies to survive,
> and many to die.  the ones that survive should be split and propagated, as
> i have done, and allowed to continue to verify that the resistance is real.
>
> any thoughts?
>
 
I suspect your theory will not be as popular as you might hope.  I believe you
are absolutley correct.  In fact I am confident that if no one anywhere treated
their bees for mites we would in a few years have effectively resistant bees.
That would destroy all commercial beekeepers, however.  How will they survive
doing with few to no colonies for several years.
 
There is however a population that will not be treated.  Feral colonies have
been widely destroyed.  They will come back, however.  Because 'almost' all
feral colonies are gone does not mean, all feral colonies are gone.  Many
treated swarms will dilute the net result, but there will be resistant colonies
around eventually.
--
"Test everything.  Hold on to the good."  (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
 
Tom Elliott
Eagle River, Alaska
 
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