Bob wrote
. Well 20 has just  passed and we have made
 some small steps in the right direction but still the bee which will
 handle varroa untreated from now on has not appeared.



My response:

Bob,
I have read comments from you  like the above before. What strikes me is the 
"matter of  fact" quality of the statement. I must say that I feel that you 
are wrong about not having a varroa resistant bee. I have not treated any of 
my hives in about 2 years and some  for as many as 5+ years. My strongest 
observed yard has not been treated for 4 years and only about half the hives 
requeeened by me in that time. My losses have been normal(by the way,I have 
~300 colonies).

I am not alone in having this kind of success.

Is it possible that there are conditions or other geographical locations 
where they might melt down?
Why.. yes it is!...but I know of others in other locations that are not 
melting down.

I have a growing confidence fueled by more and more "data points" that there 
are good producing bees that can thrive without treatments so I must 
disagree with the ironclad nature of your statement above.

One other thing, when i say varroa resistant, I mean bees able to survive 
and thrive without treatments-not w/o infestations of varying degrees

John Horton

North Alabama

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