Peter L. Borst wrote: (actually Charlie Marz
> 
>> Practically all of them through constant inbreeding and genetic
>> degeneration have become susceptible to one or more diseases.
>> Many strains of bees today cannot survive exc2pt under constant
>> medication of drugs for Nosema, EFB, AFB, paralysis, etc. This is
>> a dangerous situation. Drug therapy can never be a substitute for
>> resistance to disease. (1972)

But ferals abounded back then and they were the ones wiped out by 
Tracheal and Varroa. If the original strains were so healthy, they 
should have constituted the feral population, since all the others 
"cannot survive".

I admire Charlie, but this was a bit of exaggeration to make a point 
with zero backup.

Also, if he was looking for resistance to disease, he should never 
have stung himself for arthritis (drug therapy) but let the body 
develop resistance.

Bill Truesdell (who is actually a disciple of Charlie's, and sting 
myself regularly)
Bath, Maine

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