Jean-Pierre:
 
   I had some interesting discussion with Marla Spivak on her work with
   assessing hygienic behavior. She is still searching for a better way of
   measuring, but I think she prefers the "replace chunk of brood with
   freeze-killed capped brood" test.
 
   The pin-kill method has the problem of starting the uncapping process,
   so is not as much of a challenge to the bees (less hygienic bees will
   still score high). Use of a larger "spear" would increase this problem.
 
   I have noticed the great range in behavior of bees toward cleaning up
   the paper absorbent (napkins) that have been used to apply formic acid.
   Some colonies leave the paper nearly intact for 3 weeks. Others remove
   all sign of it within a few days. Although this is a nice observation
   that might be made of a lot of colonies quickly, the behavior is not as
   specific as brood removal, as one might want.
 
   Marla said that her line of extreme hygienic bees also remove any
   foreign substances (queen marks, paint on tacks in frames) from a hive.
 
   Re chalk brood and hygienic behavior: there may be a different
   mechanisms involved, but hygienic behavior would tend to remove the
   source of chalkbrood reinfection, so would not necessarily result in a
   continuing incidence of emptied brood cells. I mentioned some
   observations like this: the flush of removed larvae in a hygienic colony
   resulted only after innoculation.
 
   Hope to see you in Edmonton
 
 
   Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
   B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
   1201 103 Ave
   Dawson Creek B.C.
        V1G 4J2  CANADA          Tel (604) 784-2225     fax (604) 784-2299
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