Hi Keith and Everyone,

Keith wrote in part:

"I get it. Even the USDA feels it is worthless to spend time or bother
to
count a "very little" amount of mites. They probably have better things
to
do, like try to figure what strain of bee would be mite resistant enough
to
survive, sustain and make surplus honey and all the while be gentle. Dee
and
Ed, I am sure, have lots to do making a living producing honey and bees
and
feel no need to count mites to fill the spare time. One thing they do
feel
is worthy of their spare time is to share the methods they use in
keeping
bees healthy."

Hold on there Keith.  USDA researchers have developed the SMR line of
honeybees that are resistant to varroa and released them to beekeepers
while continuing to select them for varroa resistance and other
important traits.  They have taken the time with these bees to carefully
count how many mites are in the colonies and the colonies of hybrids (
open mated daughter queens ).  Likewise with the Russian stock they have
imported and continue to select for varroa resistance and other
important traits.  They continue to work and select both these stocks
and publish the numbers of mites they are finding in the colonies and
other traits important to beekeepers.  Both these varroa
resistant/tolerant stocks have been released to beekeepers for their
use.  They don't claim complete varroa resistance but continue to work
for increasing resistance and this does not require melting down all
your combs and shaking down the bees etc.  Simply requeening with these
documented more resistant stocks by beekeepers.  Not all beekeepers who
are trying these bees are treating with acaricides either and some have
gone a number of years without such treatments.
Honeybee researchers have given us beekeepers some varroa resistant
stocks and also methods we can all use to select more varroa resistant
bees on our own.  They have also been on the front lines finding
treatments to keep the bees alive until the stocks are fully resistant
to the mites.  We need both.  The lack of actual counts by the Lusbys is
a concern for me since I have seen colonies survive without treatment
for more than two years and these colonies were not resistant eventually
being killed by the mites.  Long term survival is impressive but I would
be more comfortable being able to actually see some data to study and
decide if it is showing what is being claimed.  Sometimes I suspect that
the published data doesn't match with the claims in research reports but
the only way I can come to that conclusion reasonably is by being able
to look at the data.

FWIW

blane


******************************************
Blane White
MN Dept of Agriculture
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