It is odd that the mite levels were so much higher than in previous years and would make one wonder why. Taking a guess I would do the same by looking for any major differences to relate as a possible reason for the change.
>every season is different:<
Every season has been very different from the previous since my first year. So find it difficult to compare one to the other once fall comes around. This May and early June was terrible for the bees (lower mainland BC) with cold wet weather. This is the time that the bees are normally thinking about swarming but instead where throwing out drone pupae and drones with some colonies starving if not fed in time (Not mine). From the few I talked too, colonies in Blueberries where floating away they were so light. The year before was opposite. I'm sure seasonal differences play some sort of role in where a colony sits health wise in the fall. I would say this fall that my colonies are looking the best they ever have at this time. Did the cold wet May have something to do with this?
It's the little thinks that make me wonder. Entering winter with my fingers crossed!
>(I had been adding hygienic and supposedly varroa tolerant
stock).<
I would be interested in your opinion on how you would rank the queens you have been using. What I know about hygienic queens is their daughters should pull larva infected with brood diseases before it is visibly noticeable? Correct me if wrong I have no experience with these types of queens.
I understand how they are developed but having difficulty in my mind in how that trait is maintained at a high level without a high level of consistent pressure from brood disease/mites as it is a recessive gene. My thought is in an isolated breeding yard this trait may recess to match the need in the breeding yard but may not be up to par outside that environment where a higher level expression of that trait may be needed.
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