> Re: "the trait can be easily produced through selective breeding using the
> mite-resistant Gotland bee stock." It may be implied, but it remains
> unproven. These bees have been known about for years, yet has anyone gotten
> results with them, outside of their isolated environment?
>

Peter nailed it again. Time and time again we see bees which are isolated
and develop "varroa resistance". Tom Seeley saw this with his forest bees,
but it was not Varroa resistance but Varroa accommodation so that both bee
and Varroa survived. I asked him what would happen to those bees if they
were introduced to any beekeeper's apiary which had Varroa and he said they
would die.

And that is our main problem. Most of us cannot isolate our bees. In
essence we want an ideal world while living in a real one. So why not look
at the real world where we see disease and pests bothering all life and
what happens there to achieve some stability? Plants are bred for tolerance
or resistance to pests and pathogens, often through genetic modification.
Animals the same. But in both cases, when the area is flooded with those
pathogens, many succumb. The answer to that is control the pathogens. So
plants are animals are treated with sprays and shots.

In essence, that is just where we are right now with bees. Most "before
mites" beekeepers want to go back to those days when beekeeping was
non-treatment.

It will not happen.What will happen is that we will get through this
transition time and things will settle down. We will, just as most of us do
now, breed our bees for the area we live in and treat our bees for the
pests that are hurting our bees. We will improve in both areas as more and
better weapons emerge (like OAV). But I cannot see the nirvana of old
returning.

But that is not bad, It only means we live in the real world of disease and
pests and our war with them.We continue to fight.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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