Before I get flooded with defensive excuses, let me be clear that I am
merely stating simple biological facts.

I doubt that there is any biologist who feels that the honey bee lacks the
capacity to evolve resistance to varroa.

And likely no plant or animal breeder who would say that such a bee
couldn't be bred for gentleness and productivity.

The question then is not whether it is possible; the question is simply how
serious we are about working towards that goal.

I am not in the least bit being self righteous.  I've treated my colonies
every year since varroa first wiped me out.  I've been part of the
problem.  But instead of merely complaining, I'm also trying to be part of
the solution.

And there's no reason that I should hear specious protests when I clearly
state the optimal solution--all beekeepers working for a common goal.
Obviously that's not going to happen--most are too busy or too lazy.  But
even a single large-scale beekeeper doing so would dwarf all the selective
breeding programs now in place.

Varroa is the number one problem for our industry.  The inevitable solution
is clear--beekeepers will eventually be keeping mite-resistant stock as the
norm.  How soon that happens is up to us.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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