Kevin Grabow wrote
>   I requeen every other year and tracheal mites are still a major problem for
>me. I treat for varroa and tracheal mites in addition to requeening.
 
        Sorry, in my original message I failed to add the words "Trachael
mite resistant Queens" I assumed, incorrectly, that you knew that Ontario
has Resistant Queens. At the risk of getting flamed for advertising on the
'net perhaps I should explain.
        About 5 years ago, Dr.Medhat Nasr and the Ontario Beekeepers Assoc.
formed The Ontario BeeBreeders Assoc. a loose group dedicated to breeding a
Trachael (T mite) resistant strain. Dr. Nasr and others designed a
scientific test to quantify the resistance or lack of it to any bees
tested.(If I have enough requests I will write up the method). When they
first started there were up to 200 mites per bee. Our tests this year were
less than half a mite in less than 25% of our bees. What this means is
instead of suffocating, the bees can cope with our level of infestation. I
read an analogy which I think explains the problem. T mites are like double
pneumonia and Varroa is like a vampire bat. When a hive dies, which one
killed it? Most people would say the one that is most visible, ie Varroa,
whereas in fact it could well have been T mites.
        I've been raising Queen's for many years, 2 years ago I learned of
this program
and now this year our 16 breeder hives have all been tested, every one of
them are
 T mite resistant. There are approx 22 breeders in the program some have
achieved
T mite resistance some haven't.
        So you can understand why I was astounded to see the length some are
going to, to medicate for T mites. A simple re-queen and goodbye to Menthol,
Crisco,
Formic Acid and all the other weird and wonderful concoctions.
        If anyone wants a list of the Breeders please e-mail me direct.
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