>Are any even looking for a bee which will tolerate Varroa?

In short, yes!

Read on for the longer version.

Others including ourselves are either too busy to respond or feel like
Columbus facing another dreaded disease, flat world syndrome!!

In my opinion, the only way to find disease tolerance is to recreate a
similar breeding environment as the Russian bee which is believed to be a
mix of several bees to include a.m. Macedonia.  90 to 120 years is the only
missing factor.  

I am sure that the time factor can be overcome.

Use natural selection as a selection tool and speed it up with instrumental
insemination and closed population breeding group theory.  50 to 150
colonies may or may not yield results and you will spend a lot of time and
bees/money to find out you didn¹t put the needed tools in your genetic tool
box (gene pool).  Likewise, an overly evaluated selection process will do no
more than steal time and limit the genetic variance that can be chosen from.
You have to roll the genetic dice many times to identify true survivors
(disease resistant).  That means killing loads of bees.  It means using a
selection management plan that is dummy proof.  Dead or alive is pretty
simple!!!  

We try for a 50% yearly loss within a much larger population.  Adding drone
brood for most of the brood producing period will provide for much higher
V-mite population.  A little creativity and forethought will provide for
other disease pressure.  And one other point that I am taking for
granted-ABSOLUTELY NO CHEMICALS.  Did I say no chemicals?

I am not including other extremely important factors such as different mite
populations and micro-climates/environments which must be considered.  I
believe the inconsistent results among honest vocal beekeepers can be
explained by these factors.

I understand producers can not easily do the same as a very few dedicated,
committed and cash poor BREEDERS.  However, it is possible.  We have seen
the results.  Consistent 85% population/line survival without chemicals is
our goal.  I feel confident we will reach it sooner than later.  And for you
purely analytical types, I can¹t give you exact time.

Bottom line is you have to provide the genetic tools (adequate genetic
diversity) for a population, keep disease pressure upon this population and
select FROM the survivors.  I believe adding in a simple, standardized
evaluation of honey production, i.e., percent weight gain will provide an
effective validation while at the same time make the bees marketable.

We add in identified feral and other open mated production survivors via
instrumental insemination, if favorable.

The biggest question is not ³can it be done?², but ³can it be done in spite
of fragile egos and financial stresses?²

Sorry so long-making up for all my lurking.










Dann Purvis
Purvis Brothers Apiaries, Inc.
5122 Trackrock Camp Road
Blairsville, GA  30512
USA
706 781 3128 (voice and fax)
706 781 3376
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