There was a lack of surplus in various parts of Maine during the summer, 
but there were parts that did fine.

Survival because of no food is really not a matter of genetics, because 
if you cut someone's food source out all will suffer.

But let us presume that genetics rules in this case. A lack of nectar 
would allow lesser populated colonies to survive, so you would be 
selecting for bees that did not produce much surplus since they would 
never be well populated. I seem to have heard this before in the prior 
discussion on Varroa resistant bees, that they were not good producers 
of an excess of honey. But they survive. But then again, so do mine and 
I do everything wrong.

Hence, we are back at square one.

There is one thing that we need to understand. We are not changing the 
bee's DNA when we go through any selection process. What we are 
selecting for is what is already there but not a main attribute. So in 
every group of colonies there are many similarities as well as some 
differences, just like we see in those around us. If we select for a 
certain trait, it does not mean that other traits that may be in 
opposition to the one we are selecting for go away, especially if that 
trait is artificial.

So, when there is a dearth of nectar, some colonies will succumb while 
others will not in the same apiary, managed under the same conditions. 
That another apiary fairs better probably has little to do with genetics 
but to the local conditions including the beekeeper. I have always seen 
that good beekeepers have good bees.

I just think we make too much of genetics and try to weave a cloth that 
is not there.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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