From: "[log in to unmask]" " With the prediction of great colony losses this
coming winter, I am thinking a lot of bee genetics unable to cope with
varroa will go away.  It would seem breeding from the survivors will only
speed up isolating and propagating resistant material.  A light at the end
of the tunnel?"

A lovely thought.  But many colonies that survive  will do so because their
keepers are using appropriate methods rather than from qualities in the bees
themselves.  The cleanest hives in Europe are said to be the Danish - who
have settled down to regular sensible use of drone culling and a summer
application of formic acid.  So 'breeding from the survivors' may speed up
isolating and propagating SENSIBLE VARROA CONTROL REGIMES.
Not to argue against the long term hope of resistant bees , of course.  But
they are going to come out of targeted breeding programmes than concentrate
the beneficial genes more than widespread culls of unresistant bees by the
cruel indifferent processes of Nature.  IMHO.  So meanwhile, beekeepers need
to learn the safe use of organic acids (as in Europe and Canada).

Robin Dartington

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