Dann Purvis II <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

....we had developed or isolated two lines of bees
that would
>consistently test hygienically above 85% at 24 hours
(liquid Nitrogen, same
>age brood, with re-test confirmation).

Dan, Thanks for responding to my letter.
I also keep colonies that tested 85% or above due to
overall performance. It's difficult to justify weeding
them out if overall performance is good.

Dan, do you know of or have any ideas you would care
to share on how an average beekeeper might intensify
selection toward the 'early removal' fondress as
opposed to post capping removal?,,, such as they SMR
folks have been doing?

I'm looking at two possibilities.

I wonder if pin prick of pre capped larvae would work?

Or the other possibly intensifying selection for
hygienic behavior, is to pull up the test frame with
adhering nurse bees to a nuc and checking at one hour
intervals for immidieate removal of brood. This would
eliminate the division of labor effect making the test
groups fairly equal, and also identify colonies with
highly tuned hygienic behavior response.

This might help in the selection of the 'highly
developed hygienic bees' from the rest, as I do have
several colonies testing 100% on the pin prick method,
so there must be some way to determine the 'best of
the best', and by finding these would accelerate and
focus the selection process toward quick hygenic
response.

...4 lines were evaluated
>and fell short in hygienic behavior evaluations but
carried other evaluated
>traits deemed necessary to our goal of developing a
bee that can survive
>without chemical intervention while producing well.

Please expand.

>Hygienic behavior is not that difficult to bring out.


Dan, because it is a recessive gene, does this mean
the trait cannot be fixed and must be constantly
monitored in subsequent generations?

>
>We have seen a significant drop in brood diseases,
which I attribute
>partially to the hygienic genes, an increase in
propolis production and high
>brood viability (95%+).

I have theories from comparing my ferals to the wild
ferals,,, but why in your opinion is the factor behind
the observed increase in high brood viability? ,,,as I
see this as very important.

>IMHO, these and other genetic traits (grooming
behavior,

Are you looking at autogrooming or allogrooming?

> virus resistance,

Are you referring to PMS symptoms here? How would one
select for this?  Thanks!

Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA
Small Cell Beekeeping
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
http://www.biologicalbeekeeping.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepers/




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