Peter:
I think Marina Meixner is trying to show that the mission of honey bee
preservation and the goal of commercial beekeeping have been so long at
odds, that we have lost sight of the possibility that they can merge. Both
have in mind a bee that can survive long term with minimal human
intervention. Whether this is feasible, I don't know. Certainly many species
that have come under our care no longer exist in the wild form, and the
domesticated types can no longer go wild.


I would estimate we make  50% of our income off of honey sales...my
total chemical bills are less than $50.00 per year(probably $25.00)... for
about 300 hives...according to the numbers given by our inspector my hives
produce above average crops for our area....this also accords with what I 
hear from other beeks at meetings...of the queens I have sold-some
1000...I have had say 95% good reports...I have had close to 100% 
acceptance... my sales were mostly to sideliners with one commercial and 
several hobbyists...I have had really good reports from some of these(all 
the sideliners with one exception that was questionable IMHO)
The only really bad report was from one beek who said they didn't build up 
after a few months(10 queens)....he seems to be a really good beek so that 
threw me for awhile. ? still.

 my best observation is that these bees are comparable to the various other 
queens that people use around
here-Russians + Italians from ...from Hawaii, Florida,South Ala & Ga.
It doesn't take an expert to measure crop averages or to recognize a
strong hive-

 or to realize that if you have gone 4-6 years without treating
and your oldest yards-6 years w/o treatment are among your best honey 
averages that
you essentially have a varroa  resistant bee for your area-

I am not an expert, but can attest that the above statements apply to my
operation
About migratory beeks, that may be a different story, I would not really
comment on that. I don't know.
I also have contact with a beek who had a strong survivor colony in the 
oranges...two years essentially no treatment -looking good,producing good. I 
got some cells and gave them  to a friend(we share our genetics and breed in 
my yards)...one was really great-gentle, broody(solid and abundant),good 
population, good comb puller, -a thief got that hive w/others in the 
yard.....ouch I have a single queen of this stock and plan to see what 
happens
I have a bunch bunch  more positive data points-wont go into it.
Didn't many(most?)  people used to say that we couldn't have a varroa 
resistant bee?I thank God that people like the Weavers and others didn't 
listen. Their efforts have laid the foundation for making a living at 
something that has brought me such joy . with essentially  no worries about 
chemical contamination(at least from my hives).

I appreciate your openness as expressed in the quote of yours above.

John Horton
N Alabama

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