On Thu, 14 Mar 1996, Vladimir Ptacek wrote:
 
> On Wed, 13 Mar 1996 21:03:29 -0500, Vince Coppola wrote:
>
> >Does anyone have any info on the Carniolans in Austria that are reported
> >to have grooming ability and chew the legs of varroas? I think the
> >breeders name is Wallner.
>
> Friends,
> In Czech Republic similar breeding program has been conducted at Bee Res.
> Inst. at Doll near Prague ( 252 66 Libcice n.Vlt., CZ). As I am informed
> the results obtained are promising but still not at the level enabling
> the formation of genetically stable lines.
>
> In my hobby Carniolan apiary I found 4 fold less Varroa mites in the
> progeny colonies of one queen in comparison to the rest of the apiary in
> 1994 (the mother colony had less than 10 individuals, the daughters'
> colonies less than 100 with one exception, and the rest colonies more
> than 400 mites), but in 1995 there was no significant relation in the
> above shown tendency. So you can imagine how I was disappointed in
> my expectations. I am mentioning this observation just to show (the
> known fact) that making lines with fixed behavior may not be so easy.
> But anyway it is good to know the amount of mites which developed in
> individual colonies during the season. This can be done by t
 
 Vladimir , The point that you made on making lines with fixed behavior
may not be so easy. Is at the heart of the problem. We need many
different lines being worked with at the same time.Then when we do the
breeding for the fixed behavior, we have a good chance to come out
positive most of the time. We need our best researchers on top and
working together. Good things don't come easy.I hope that beekeepers can
see the light at the end of the tunnel.You have seen for yourself that
the bees can control the mite.That is the long term fix. Beekeepers will
save a lot of money when they don't have to use chemicals.I hope that the
gene or genes that kept down the mite population , shows up again in your
bees.
 I wish that we can get more information on other bees that control the
Varroa mite by themselves. I have one hive that is standing up to the
mites without chemicals. The hive has had NO medication at all.It  came
from the yugo stock and (open mated ) with some carni stock the came from
Glenn Apiaries in California. This is one out of over 100 that I raised
from that yugo stock.I never wanted to raise a lot of queens , just some
very good stock that will fly in the rain.I'm in western Washington USA
and we get plenty of rain.
 Best Regards
 Roy