Sustainable beekeeping must be an ever changing thing. It doesn't work to develop a routine and stick to it. A changing organism is better able adapt to new challenges. See my article in the ABJ on the Red Queen hypothesis. So beekeeping must keep changing to stay viable. It won't do to lament past errors or attempt to isolate from the rest of the industry. Now is the time to collaborate, communicate, and come up with new combinations of techniques. Price of freedom is eternal vigilance, etc. Insects' immune systems must constantly evolve to remain effective against a changing array of diseases and other threats. These changes are evident when examining the genes involved in immune response. Current study describes how the immune systems of the well-studied fruit fly group have changed over time, strengthening comparisons to bees and other insects of agricultural importance. The honey bee genome project has produced a tremendous amount of information and online resources, says entomologist Jay Evans, at the Bee Research Lab in Beltsville, Maryland. "We're now sifting through this information to find clues to breeding and managing bees in ways that reduce the costs of disease." So far, about 150 honey bee genes have been selected for analysis by Evans and his team. They've already identified genes from the bee's immune system that are correlated with a colony's ability to withstand exposure to important pathogens. more info at http://www.ars.usda.gov ****************************************************** * Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm * ******************************************************