Mike writes:
In selecting for these traits does one start 
with a few and keep adding others as selection allows?  Dee
mentioned 18 traits.

Reply:
I could probably write a paragraph on each one but here is
a simple general list of categories for the good comparing
straight yellow to blacks in reading old archives and
consolidation of information (as a bee by any name is still
yellow or black, small or big, tropical or temperate):

1. Colour
2. Largeness of brood pattern
3. Lack of disease
4. Body uniformity
5. Lack of crossbrace
6. Lack of swarming
7. Body size
8. Honey gathering capabilities
9. Hive defense (for the good)(pests, predators, diseases)
10. Hours of flight (worker/drone)
11. Managability
12. Pollen gathering capabilities
13. Robbing capacity (for the good)
14. Early and pre-flow build-ups
15. Weak flow and winter carryover  (brood and strength)
16. Cluster ability and fanning ability
17. Propolizing abilities
18. Broodnest priming abilities (getting
ready,sterilization) 

Now list for the bad:

1. Colour
2. Cluster ability and fanning ability
3. Swarming
4. Honey gathering capabilities in complete-flow shutoffs
(long drought with little water, forage not blooming for
the most part)
5. Hive defense in summer vs winter conditions/drought
conditions
6. Hours of flight (worker/drone)
7. Early and pre-flow build-ups (will they build-up on
stored-up stores now granulated)
8. Weak flow and winter carryover (amount of brood and
strength)
9. Drone rearing cutoff times
10. Queen rearing parameters (supercedure vs swarming)

Respectfully submitted,

Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/



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