Hi Mike & all

Mike posed a list of qualities he likes

 >   1.  brood production
 >   2.  hive production
 >   3.  mite tollerance
 >   4.  locality acclimation
 >   5.  docility
 >   6.  minimal queen supercedure

I would modify this as follows (for UK at latitude 53 deg)...

1.  docility and ease of working
2.  brood production in line with availability of forage
3.  ability to forage at low temperature and low light levels
3a. honey yield (only occurs if point 3 is satisfied)
4.  mite tolerance
5.  wintering ability/suitability in prevailing climate
6.  minimum swarming, but maximum use of queenright supersedure.

There are many other characters that I select for, that are aimed at 
improving/maintaining the genetics of the strain of bees, but the ones 
above would be basic requirements.

I put docility at the top of the list, because it allows more colonies 
to be kept for a given labour input.

Mite tolerance is likely to move up or down the list as treatments and 
management vary with ongoing years.

By queenright supersedure, I mean that both mother and daughter lay 
together for weeks, months or years.


Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net
Short FallBack M/c, Build 6.02/3.1 (stable)

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