On Fri, 16 Feb 1996, Dave Green, Eastern Pollinator Newsletter wrote:
 
>    Yet there are always some hives that do thrive and do well.  I believe we
> MUST breed from these, as they are resistant to whatever.
>
        We must be extremly cautious with this approach. Survivors that do
well and thrive may just be lucky. We have seen this to be true many
times the past three years. Breeders selected in this fashion should be
monitored for at least 3 years. The problem is obvious, its slow and by
that time the queen may have been superceded or swarmed. Picking a
"lucky" queen can ruin an otherwise sound program. I suggest we pick our
breeders by proven bio assay techniques such as the frozen brood test for
hygenic behavior or the quick test for HTM resistance. Of course many
more tests are needed these days and hopfuly our scientists will be
devoloping tests to deal with varroa, nosema, and viruses. >
 
  bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
  b                                                              b
  b    Vince & Carole Coppola                [log in to unmask]   b
  b    Coppola Apiaries,                     (716)965-2904       b
  b    10220 Bradigan Rd.                                        b
  b    Forestville, N.Y. 14062                                   b
  b                                                              b
  b    Queens bred for tracheal mite resistance                  b
  b    Honey , Pollination                                       b
  b    Western New York Beekeepers Association                   b
  b                                                              b
  bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb