Sorry everyone If I do not participate much on this thread, basically
because I do want to learn which is your opinion/perception about
chilean beekeeping and because we are in full season and I do not have
much time to write. But also because I do not consider my beekeeping
neither my bees to be really representative of Chile.

As Randy point out  I prefer the idea of close border and selecting
within the national stocks.

I have been for the past 10 years selecting within my own stock, first
by increasing the genetic pool buying queens from different beekeeper
within Chile, and latter by mass selection trying to avoid most of the
treatments (of course except varroa control). In this selection and
sorry to come to my global cooling theme, but my bet is that, so my
Bitches of the Swamp I consider to be bees prepared for a colder
future, while still performing in temperate weather. In fact today I
have a long talk with an argentinian Nosema expert that couldn't
believe that my bees could stand well over 20 millions spores (up to
44 millions). After seing my data he concluded that my managment
(concentrated on minimizing stress and maximizing nutrition while
controling varroa) was enough for not needing to use fumagilin and not
loosing the colonies. I still pointed out to the use of bleach and
oregano for controling viruses (yes, I do not have proof of that).

To conclude if anyone wants to try our bees I am happy to obligue, but
it is not my purpose to open any market or to base my beekeeping on
exporting queens or packages.

Happy Thanks giving !

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