> > I don't want to argue, to let people know what I believe to be the simple
> underlying picture.
>

Mike, I agree with Allen--you are preaching to the choir!  We understand the
principles.

Small scale beekeepers in the US are making great strides in developing mite
resistant bees.  The commercial operations would adopt them in a heartbeat
if they were demonstrated to be more profitable to run.  Such demonstrations
are currently in the works.

However, as Allen and Walter said, it's been frustrating to develop strains
of mite resistant bees that the commercial beekeeper can depend upon to pay
the mortgage.  Many of us have taken large financial losses in trying them.


I blew off 75 colonies this year in testing mite resistant stock from a
number of sources.  None will be going to almonds, due to lack of survival
or strength.  So multiply 75 x $150.  That's an $11,000 loss for me, had I
simply stocked those hives with my own stock and given them a few "natural"
treatments.

I'm not giving up, but I have a heckuva time justifying those kinds of
losses year after year!  That is why I am only willing to sacrifice part of
my operation to the "cause" each year.

Now be clear that I am not disputing any of your premises.  I'm just backing
up Allen's statement that developing mite resistant stocks while running a
viable operation is not quite as simple as you make it out.

That said, by selecting for productive, healthy breeders for a number of
years, varroa, tracheal mite, AFB, and nosema are generally only minor
problems in my operation.  Viruses, however, are another story, and have
been troublesome, but look like less of  a problem so far this season.

What you could add to this discussion are your personal success details.
How many years have your bees gone without treatment, how isolated are you,
what resistance mechanisms do your bees appear to be using, how many years
of selection did it take you to obtain mite-resistant stock, and what are
your percentage annual losses?  That kind of information would be useful to
us.

Randy Oliver

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