Hello Dee & All,
Because the list is being civil and a decent discussion is going on (or the
moderators are deleting a a bunch of posts) I am going to analyze what the
Lusby's did in my opinion.

If the list has followed my articles on finding varroa tolerant bees you
will understand the first and most important trait is able to survive. Dee
maybe has never thought of what I am about to say (or maybe she has). She
has just completed a 10 year search for a survivor bee. She has selected
from a huge population of bees and came up with 10% survivor queens.

The only difference between what she did and Purvis & myself is we ADDED
varroa pressure to speed the process. I have got varroa pressure on the
Australian line starting this year hoping to kill 50% a year off.. Brown's
Bees Australia  in our last phone conversation said YOU DID WHAT!

I did all the evaluation this season he requested so now time to put three
lines (Australian , Italy Italian and Buckfast) to the varroa and secondary
disease test!

It is hard for beekeepers to understand the value of added varroa pressure.
I believe I could have found a varroa tolerant bee in Dee's stock in half
the time if using added varroa pressure!
Ok. Now we know Dee is running varroa tolerant bees. She should not see any
secondary disease. Zero PMS!

By constantly replacing wax over the last 10 years she has taken comb
rotation to levels never even dreamed of even by the Europeans! Some EU
beekeepers rotate all comb ever 3-4 years at most.

The last important key to her success (in my opinion) is the lack of stress
in her bees being on permanant locations.

 I am more interested in her bees than small cell.

I firmly believe cell size difference of .2 to .3 of a mm. has little to do
with hive well being!

The small cell group believe 4.9 mm is the correct size for bees.

 Bob Harrison is very happy with 5.1mm. and has zero secondary disease in
hives headed by Varroa tolerant survivor queens or a Russian queen.

If you put one of my queens in a hive with 4.9mm and one of my queens in a
hive with 5.1 to 5.3 mm both would not get secondary disease problems such
as PMS!

I believe I have got the most varroa tolerant bee in the world in mine and
the yards of Purvis Brothers Apiaries. We are considering a large import of
Purvis Brothers Gold line II breeder queens into Australia so the Gold line
queens can return heading up Australian package bees for those wanting
varroa tolerant queens.


I do relate to Dee's "whereas the proof" issues as I have learned many
things working with my bees that the research community would say "Hey wait
a minute" to if published.

Many researchers are working with "a hand tied behind their back" by always
worried about "peer pressure" and having to be careful of their opinions. I
have no such hang-up!

Bob

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