Hello All,
I suppose I possibly have the most SMR experience on the list or at least
the most which will talk. Allen knows I also have got  information not
available to the general public and available off on the net.

The information presented by Joe is a public dumb down as Allen says because
the principle of SMR is hard to grasp.

I believe I might be the only person on the list which has done Dr. Harbo's
method of finding the hive with the SMR trait.

I was taught by Dr. Harbo himself after his presentation at an ABF meeting I
believe in 2002 in Savannah. Once the procedure was explained to me in
detail I quickly picked up the procedure.

The procedure has not been explained exactly at any presentation I am aware
of.

If a member of the list has tested for SMR it would be interesting to hear
what their thoughts are. Any around willing to talk?

I do not believe my close friend Dann Purvis has ever tested for the SMR
trait.

Since Joe name dropped two of my favorite researchers I feel I need to
comment.

If I had the resources to provide funding I would right away fund Dr. Harbo
to leave the lab and hire underlings similar to  his former
underling Sue Cobey to do varroa research. The kind of close look at varroa
reproduction they do requires people & funding! I have been amazed at the
results at the lab of such an underfunded and undermanned project!

Next I would fund the same amount to Dann Purvis to do the varroa tolerant
field testing and record keeping. Plenty of people and a large lab.

Next I would go to Brazil and see if Dr. Warrick Kerr is tired of teaching
and drop enough funding to make Dr. Kerr come to the U.S. and head up the
project of taming AHB!

If the world provided funding and support staff to those people I believe
the beekeeping world would  solve the varroa and AHB problem.

Bob

"Cold & rainy in Missouri so will sit back tonight and read again from one
of my favorite authors Stephen Hawking *A brief History of time*"

The beekeeping year is basically over for me until spring 2006!

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