Chris Slade <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Can you suggest which particular genetically inheritable characteristics
>might make a strain of honeybee less susceptible to nosema?

Hello Chris,

Besides the previously mentioned and most excellent responses to this 
question. 

IMO,  there is a simple technique anyone can employ.
And that is ’breed from your (overall) best stock’.  Has proved to be a 
remarkably effective technique for thousands of years.

For several years now I have been employing methods promoted on this list 
and others to select a higher varroa resistance.  Strangely enough, 
hundreds of pin pricks, mite counts and other techniques later, I find 
varroa resistance correlated directly with my best performers.  Simply by 
selecting from the top 10 %  overall performers,  would have been 
effectively selected for high varroa resistance.  

As a result, I am placing much more weight on selection for over all 
performance and much less weight on time consuming testing and counting 
techniques. 

Best Wishes,
Joe

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************