bob harrison wrote:

> ................ i go on
> record saying i am VERY skeptical of those researchers converting all
> the worlds bees to a varroa resistant strain before varroa becomes
> totally chemical resistant. The part i like the best about searching for
> a strain of resitant varroa bees is that if found we can give up the use
> of chemicals

There is not now and probably will never be one strain of bees resistant to
varroa. This is a trait or series of traits present in every bee population. The
exact mechanism (grooming, aggression, scent, biochemicals) that makes the varroa
less likely to succeed in the bee colony is not yet known (at least to me, but
what do I know).  Thus, there will probably never be a varroa-resistant strain
listed in bee catalogs (IMO).  Whatever these traits are, they can be selected
for in your own locality, and the general methods for doing trait selection have
been published by various people for decades, and more specific methods for
bees/varroa have also been published recently. All that is required is a
population of animals (bees), a pressure (varroa), and the observational skills
and time to select for survivors.
-----------------------------------------------------------
John F. Edwards
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center
Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Tucson, Arizona 85719
http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/home/edwards/edwards.html