> So far, this debate has been driven by ignorance and questionable
> assumptions about the Australian bees, and ignorance of the levels of
> susceptibility in US stock.

As I recall, the only "debate" was when you took exception to a reasonable
concern voiced by a respected researcher in a magazine article in a
posting  on Bee-L, rather than in a letter to the editor of the magazine or a
direct e-mail to the author of the article.
("Australian Stock vs. US Stock" Allen Dick, Tue, 8 May 2007 Bee-L)

But rather than tossing around loaded phrases like "questionable assumptions"
and "ignorance", consider the recourse possible for the beekeeper in each case.

With a US (or Canadian) supplier, one can call up the producer, and ask
why they shipped queens or packages that are susceptible to tracheal
mites at all.  One can even be indignant, and demand some form of
partial refund for substandard products sold at full price.  Many
beekeepers are in areas where the use of grease patties is just not
a very good idea at all any more, due to the small hive beetle.
(If enough beekeepers started doing this, the producers would shape
up in short order.)

With an Australian supplier, one has no recourse, as it is obvious
that he cannot test for resistance to a pest he gleefully advertises
that he does not have.  One cannot expect him to provide any level
of assurance.

So, just as "One Cannot Control That Which One Does Not Measure" (R)
one cannot breed for that which one cannot test.

So, regardless of what anecdotal information might be offered about the
apparent "tracheal mite resistance" of Aussie bees versus bees from the
US or elsewhere in this season or that, the essential point is inescapable -
Aussie bees will only be tracheal mite resistant by >>>chance<<<, and
can never be resistant by overt breeding.  (They could be in a 100% AI
shop using imported genetics with a closed breeding environment, but this
sort of bee is much like a unicorn.  We can all imagine one, but we will
likely never live to see one.)

Now I dunno about you, but I want tough bees. I want bees that will not
only laugh at tracheal mites, I want bees that are so tough they will take
your wallet and watch.  I don't want bees with stripes so much as bees
with gang tattoos.  It is tough to bee a bee these days.  We don't need no
wimpy bees.

Yes, it is shameful that bees sampled from US suppliers several years ago
were all over the map in terms of tracheal mite resistance, but this is
a very different situation to the one in Australia, where it seems that random
chance alone is the sole factor governing tracheal mite resistance.

If you are going to accept pure random chance as a reasonable way to provide
tracheal mite resistance, why are you so worried about a few US bee producers
who make no effort to breed and test for tracheal mite resistance?
Aren't these US producers ALSO relying on random chance?

But you know better in your heart, hence your critical comments about US
producers.  You expect more from the US producers. You know that they
CAN test for the trait.  It is clear that Australian producers can't.

If there is any "ignorance" in this discussion, it is ignorance of the basic
reasonable expectations one can have about bees from areas "free" of
the pests and diseases we face.  These bees are "bringing a knife to a
gunfight", and the beekeeper who relies on them is putting himself
between a bullet and a target.

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