Joe writes:

My point to Randy is, if you are treating colonies
anyways, and all colonies regardless of resistant
qualities get overrun with mites.  Why not
choose the bee which as been proven
the best productive bee for commercial 
beekeeepers, which is the Italian bee? 

My response:

Having just written a two part series on Bee Breeding for the American Bee Journal, I am well acquainted with the various bee types and their usefulness to "commercial  beekeepers". THe notion that the "Italian" is the best is unsupportable. Hell, they haven't been Italians in a hundred years, any more than I am Dutch -- though I have a Dutch last name.

There is no one best bee, the various types have various traits. A good honey producer that is susceptible to mites is no better than a mite resistant bee that produces less honey, if it costs more to maintain. Besides, how can a non- commercial beekeeper such as you or I make assessments as to what is best for them?  They'll decide.

This is hardly worth arguing about, anyway. Success is measured by each of us in different ways. My friend Tom Glenn assures me that the VSH strain is the best bet at present, although I am also impressed by Weaver stock. Neither of these is referred to by such outmoded terms as Italian is at present.  In fact, Danny Weaver told me his bees are mixture of all the lineages.

PLB

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