Frank said:
 My impression while she is interested in SMR as a VD resistiance factor,
she prefers to maintain selective pressure on the bees as she has in the
past, but adding selection for SMR naturally.

I believe possibly frank misunderstood Sue unless  SUE IS TALKING ABOUT
USING DOCUMENTED SMR ( FOUND BY TESTING BROOD )DRONES OR  DOCUMENTED SMR
QUEEN DAUGHTERS ( from hives which have been tested for the smr trait by the
methods outlined by Harris & Harbo)FOR II.(INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION).

Although the SMR (supressed mite reproduction) trait can be found in a hive
in many apiaries the only way to *find such a hive* is to test by checking
brood. Then raise queens from those hives. The procedure for finding a hive
with SMR used by  Dr. Harbo & Dr. Harris is outlined at the Baton Rouge Bee
Lab web site.

You can add the SMR trait to your bees by open mating your strain (drones)
with SMR breeder queen daughters (grafted by us) which is what we did *or*
use SMR drones to open mate with your lines queens which was an option we
did not use but others have used.

If Sue is talking about  introducing SMR into her Ohio queen breeders line
as we did then I agree but to introduce the SMR trait you first have to find
the bees with the trait (Harbo & Harris).

The method we  used to introduce the SMR trait into our bees is in the
archives. We used two Glenn Apiaries II breeder queens from the red & yellow
lines three years ago I believe.

Bob

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::