In message <[log in to unmask]>, Aaron Morris
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Some of the mites were dented
>or dismembered.  The breeder was attempting to strengthen this attribute
>through selective breeding.  I don't know the breeder, nor have I heard
>updates on his project.
John Dews assisted by Albert Knight, has increased mite damage from 31%
to 40% in A.m.m. by breeding for *hygienic behaviour* determined using
liquid nitrogen and instrumental insemination in Yorkshire. From memory
(possibly fuzzy) German breeding of A.m.c. brought the figure up to over
50%, when the bees survived on their own (if my memory serves me right).
(I will ask on the BIBBA List). Albert has some data at
<[log in to unmask]> which shows the variations.

"The damage inflicted is mainly legs bitten off, sometimes the edge of
the carapace damaged, and often accompanied with dents in the carapace,
although the latter by itself is *not recorded* as a damaged mite. It
could be that the dents in the carapace that coincide with a leg bitten
off immediately below it, are due to a single bite with the bees
mandibles." is a quote from Albert in a previous post to me - my
emphasis.

I will be doing my little bit by recording mite fall and examining for
the % damage. I propose to breed from those with a low rate of increase
in mite fall and high damage. I will be using open mating. We do have a
reasonably isolated site. We expect resistance to pyrethroids in no less
than a couple of years (it *may* have been detected this season by one
of our Bee Officers where it was first found in the UK. I have taken
Jack's message to heart as a warning about believing results too soon!
--
James Kilty