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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
randy oliver <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 1 Nov 2015 12:20:30 -0800
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> This implies that the breeding program to maximize hygenic behavior is
correlated with the relative dominance of the Strain B, and constant
culling of the diseased pupa (presumably infected with Variant A) is
necessary for the colony survival.

Thanks John.  This could very well be the case.  The obvious question is
why Variant B hasn't pushed out Variant A?  A few plausible hypotheses come
to mind--all having to do with other selective processes, such as the one
that you proposed, or the impact of our regular requeening from commercial
stock not selected for virus resistance.

Or perhaps due to our continual replacement of susceptible hosts--thus
maintaining an artificial host density of bee colonies which favors
horizontal transmission of the virulent strain (via the robbing out of
collapsing colonies) over vertical transmission of a "benign" strain in
"survivor" colonies.

What I find of value in Dr. Martin's research is that he has long sought to
explain the root causes of colony mortality due to the varroa/virus
complex.  He's compiled a vast body of research that has certainly educated
me.  I find this most recent research quite compelling, despite not yet
fully grasping its implications.

In any case, it's given us a new direction in which to be looking--starting
with screening colonies that appear not to be negatively affected by high
mite levels, and then perhaps testing to see whether we can transfer that
resistance to other colonies, analogous to the citrus model with the
protective benign virus.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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