I introduced 300 hygienic queens into my apiary this summer. I was told they would clean up diseases and possibly help control varroa mites. As far as varroa control, I can't say. Possibly. My main concern was chalkbrood. Well, I've seen them clean up chalkbrood. Colonies rotten with chalk were cleaned up. Two months after introduction, not a mummy to be seen. What it will do for varroa I can't say. My question is this. While there were no mummies, there were the empty cells where a larvae had died. Do they clean up chalkbrood? Yes! Are they resistant? I don't think so. If the brood dies anyway, Is this "hygienic gene" doing any good. They still have to make a honey crop, and winter feed, which most did not. I had to feed massive amounts of sugar to these colonies. Does anyone else have experience with the hygienic gene? Mike