In message <FAA0FE87588E459DB35823AB07F47E7A@office>, Peter Edwards 
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>This does not seem to hold true in the UK.  Here the SE, an area with 
>predominantly Italian bees, has for a long time had the highest 
>incidence of EFB.

In the current outbreak in Scotland it is the native black stock that 
seems most affected.

I am right in the midst of this event and have voluntarily destroyed a 
significant number of colonies, and without any doubt whatsoever the 
dark native bees were *much* more likely to be symptomatic.

Mongrel stock and carnica stock were almost invariably clear, even in 
apiaries with a high concentration of symptomatic colonies. Cannot 
comment on Italian as they are of not used in Scotland. ( Lots of bees, 
big syrup bill and no honey in our environment if you have Italians.)

In other outfits involved in the outbreak it is worst in some who have 
never had a non local bee introduced for 20 yrs or more.

Back to the start of another thread, are the black bees resistant to 
varroa more than other types? Not in any significant way. They go down 
with it in much the same way as all the other stock we have had or seen.

However they are tough and can cope with our environment more 
consistently than other types. In isolation in this part of the country 
they tend to revert to a relatively low vigour bee and small winter 
clusters are actually a normal with them and are not a negative sign. 
These bees often happily overwinter on 20 to 25lb of stores, can take 
long confinements, and fly in relatively low temps. Many strains are 
quite aggressive ( yes, even pure bred ) and they tend to be swarmy in 
hot weather, which makes them a less than ideal bee for many areas.

Black bees were collected in Scotland some time ago at the onset of the 
tracheal mite crisis in the USA and were trialled over there at the 
time. ( No references I'm afraid, maybe others can come up with them ) I 
understand they were a failure in the environment they went to and were 
eventually disposed of.


-- 
Murray McGregor

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