>>...and the bacteria they host have already been selected for antibiotic resistance

>Might be true, but how do we know that?

Because the data from the Moran study is pretty clear.  Bees recently established from packages on the East and West coast had the highest (very high) copy rates of antibiotic resistant genes in their gut microbes.
http://mbio.asm.org/content/3/6/e00377-12.full  

I previously linked to our website rather than the original study because we highlight the two graphs that are important to understand this (our page also has a link to the entire study with all the charts and graphs).
The data presented (and it would be nice to see tons of data) clearly illustrates that (if we can assume that package bees are routinely treated with antibiotcs) the more recently antiboitics have been applied to the bees, the higher the copy rate of antibioitic resistant genes are present the gut microbes of the bees (they have been recently selected for antibiotic resistance).

Is it really worth debating if "virtually down the road" includes locations 35 miles apart?  When discussing a study that looks at samples from all over the world?

Although Dee's bees have copy rates similar to samples from countries that have not used antibiotics on bees (Switzerland, Czech Republic, New Zealand), the gut microbes still maintain some of the actual genes at very low copy rates.  Wherever you think Dee's bees come from, they are somewhat isolated, and have been for some time.  My impression from talking with her about these samples, is that she took them from her more remote, older yards that have seem less influence from swarms.  20+ years ago, Dee did use antibiotics in rearing queens...and 20+ years later (how many generations of gut bacteria is that?), there is still a measurable impact.

I'm not sure what the study Randy referenced was trying to look at, or if it was successful at doing so.  If it was trying to look at the impact of antibiotcs on package bees, that is fine.  If it was an attempt to look at the larger picture of the importance and role of gut microbes, then starting with gut microbes that have already (probably for generations) been selected for antibioitc resistance, and have lost much/most of the non-antibiotic resistant populations, then things will be problematic. We will have to see the actual study (the data and especially the claims) to evaluate things.  It would be hard to imagine doing this study and wanting to do a writeup that only looks at the impact wrt newly established packages, and doesn't make broader conclusions than that.

deknow

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