Hi Chris & All,

> > Selection for what?
>
>
> Selection for bees that need less interference from the beekeeper to thrive
> in the presence of mites.
>

Thanks, for the reply. Am I safe in assuming that your suggesting that beekeepers Select for colonies that show damaged mites on
bottom board debris and rear and mate queens from these possibly promising colonies? I think that is a great idea but that is coming
from a me a person that believes that beekeepers should breed bees to improve their own beekeeping conditions. You have intrigued me
to get a x10 pocket magnifying glass as you suggested and look at bottom board debris closer. Even though I can see without my
glasses on real close up, and can see and count mites on a mite monitor board, the x10 pocket magnifying glass would definitely
allow me to examine the mites for damage inflicted by the bees.

Lots of beekeepers here in the USA simply buy a new queen from a queen breeder and toss the old queen when a colony is requeened
successfully, so, candidates for genetic improvement literally gets wasted. I would hope that more beekeepers would begin to look at
the bees they keep closer and breed for a better bee.

Chris, that's what I like about British beekeepers, instead of depending on others to do your beekeeping most of y'all do your own.
Maybe I am wrong. Thanks for the encouragement.

 . ..   Keith Malone, Chugiak, Alaska USA, http://www.cer.org/,
c(((([ , Apiarian, http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney/,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Norlandbeekeepers/ ,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ApiarianBreedersGuild/

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::