Our industry needs to rely on the scientist and queen breeders to lead us in the direction of the SMR and Hygenic Bees. I feel that this is where our future leads. Our queen rearers need to buck up and quit using any breeder that does not carry the SMR and/or Hygenic traits. Every drone mother hive should also have these traits. I am not a scientist or a genetist, but the quicker these traits are spread throughtout the industry the faster our industry will begin to show resistance to foulbrood and mites. SMR and Hygenic's are not the silver bullet, but represent a leap forward and away from the chemical treadmill. (I sound like Sue Cobey, one of my hero's. The other is Marla Spivak.) I have used SMR and Hygenic breeders in my yards for the last 5 years. I have reduced, but not eliminated chemical treatments by only treating hives that fail my thresholds. Rearing queens from these breeders in my yards have shown me that it takes time to develope these traits in an open mating scheme. Would it not be great to hive a swarm that you were called to pick up and be fairly certain that it has some SMR and Hygenic traits, because every hobbyist and beekeeper in the area, has purchased queens with these traits. Frank Wyatt WG bee Eden, NC :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::