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Date: | Thu, 26 Oct 2023 01:58:53 +0000 |
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It is my very humble opinion that the real value in the results of Natural Selection as it relates to managed apiculture is both as an outline for identifying mechanisms which help confer survival in the absence of treatments and as a genetic contribution to our managed stocks.
As Brother Adam points out in 'Breeding the Honey Bee':
'From the outset the breeding and survival of the honeybee was left to the whim of Nature. Nature’s aim in breeding is limited exclusively to the preservation and dissemination of a species and her sole means of doing this is a ruthless selection. Whatever could not adapt itself to a given environment was without exception left to its doom. The one aim was the survival of the most adaptable and the fittest. Although Nature has bequeathed to us only a small number of different types of honeybee, she has on the other hand provided us with a great number of different geographical races, ecotypes of immense value for breeding purposes. Yet true to her principles, Nature never breeds an ideal or perfect bee, one which would answer all demands of the modern beekeeper. The realisation of this ideal has been left by Nature to the progressive, purposeful bee breeder of today.'
As relates to varroa resistance we have the choice of:
1. Trying to select for greater resistance in our managed stocks and/or;
2. Trying to select for greater productivity from our feral stocks.
Either one presents challenges and opportunities - and I contend that the smart apiculturalist learns all he can about both.
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