Hello Carolyn & All,

Enjoyed your update! Looks to me like your hives did not all die like the
person thought but your methods produced success for you. All that matters.
You have got keen powers of observation.

>Since that meeting and Dr Harbo's input, I have incorporated his methods
into my hive inspections,

I worked on his methods hard for awhile and then drifted into the Rinderer
Russian program. I have picked up a couple tidbits   in the discussion which
make me want to revisit the *SMR*/ super hygienic  bee again. A light bulb
has went on.

> Bottom line, over the last few years I have seen a number of
characteristics increasing.

I am impressed with what you have accomplished with your apiary! I followed
similar methods. It has been interesting looking back and thinking about the
methods presented on the net and by researchers and what worked and what
didn't.

I think I know what to select for in those *SMR* (now renamed named super
hygienic) breeder queens! Like Carolyn did I will report back when I see if
my new different approach works.

The "live and let die" method is popular. Fair to say has not worked for all
which have tried the method. Fair to say has been expensive for those which
have used the method.Both Dee & Dann Purvis have told me so!

 I never let mine die but pulled the hive headed down the wrong path. moved
to a remote yard. Treated and produced honey and then requeened the next
spring with a new survivor choice. A method I highly recommend over any
other method if concerned about your bottom line but moving hives around for
me is easy. Even singles from pallet to pallet.

"The Russian import" I thought would surely be a disappointment. I was
surprised by the  results. I feel I understand the bee now after four years
and could use successfully commercially but not the bee I would select from
the choices available if not for the varroa & tracheal mite tolerance.

I won't go into all the other varroa control methods around but see long
term problems with most. The key for me has always been with the queen
herself.

 I always wanted a systemic solution for varroa but researchers are not
looking so I guess will never come.  Works with ticks on dogs & cats but
complicated research has always been the reply from researchers. Drop the
systemic in  syrup and forget about varroa . one bite and varroa is history!

> Most good biology starts from simple observation and that's something we
sideliners and hobbyists can offer.

I don't know why most beekeepers do not realize the above! Being observant
is better than a nose stuck in beekeeping books!

Mites , queen producers and the weather are blamed for poor beekeeping
practices not being observant most of the time!

One of the most asked questions of me has been how can you look carefully at
all your hives and get everything done. I don't look closely at ever hive
except once a year in spring!

In experiment hives I spend the amount of time needed to closely observe.
Production hives are treated very different. They are the product of my
closely observed experiments! I consider production hives either a year
experiment or a two year experiment.

The queen is (as Dr. Larry Conner says) the most important insect in the
hive. I focus on her!

Excellent queens don't cost they pay dividends!

In 2006 I predict we will see the price of a single queen rise to the $20
dollar level in the U.S.for the first time in history. In the  $50 range for
a package will be the norm!


Bob

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