Bob,
You stated that this beekeeper who lost hives to AFB "had been using Hygienic
Queens."  My question is: Were these hives and bees been TESTED for proof of
hygienic bees, or had the beekeeper just purchased queens that had been
advertised as having Hygienic Behavior?

The point is that ANY body can advertise that they are producing hygienic
queens, but it is the responsibility of the buyer to test the bees to prove
the bees actually have hygienic behavior.

This problem is a fear of mine.  I question how many beeHAVERS or even some
real
beekeepers will bother to test for themselves.  You are not going to be able
to buy
a TESTED queen for $10, $15, or even $50, and what breeder can afford the 2-3
months of labor intensive TESTING?

I think bees possessing Hygienic Behavior may be the best answer to make some
disease deaths of honey bees obsolete; but it is going to require a different
type of person to keep bees than we have today.  Did you know that after
ether was discovered, the medical profession did not really accept its use as
an anesthesia for over 30 years?  And Dr, Fleming discovered penicillin in
1928, but it was not accepted as an antibiotic until near the end of World
War II.  Most people are very slow and reluctant to make changes based on the
findings of scientists; and I know
because I am a retired scientist.

George Imirie