>Joe made a key point about factors in feral recovery.
>> It seems that a healthy feral population or good out-mating

A marked improvement in my colonies 
occurred during 2005 to 2006.  Prior to
this time ferals were suppressed,
starting with the collapse of the honeybee
population in 1996 until 2005.

From 1996 to 2005,,,
I was observing colonies maintaining 85% 
brood viability, which I suspected caused
by poor mating, as a direct result of lack
of ferals.  I also believed the colonies 
could not be assessed properly
until such time out-mating improved.

Poor mating allows minor stresses and 
disease to occur which suppresses
colony performance,  and therefore
renders impossible efforts to effectively 
assess them on their true merits.
I was able to identify some out 
performers, but criteria had to be
restricted and could not be 
based on the entire assessment.

So this period of time was focused
on bringing in ferals to my area and
allowing them to swarm off in an 
attempt to establish some type of
breeding population, -and one that I 
did not have to maintain.

The records on many of the discussion
lists will show that members were crediting
high varroa and hygienic behavior for the 
cause of the low viability, but I wasn't 
all that convinced this was the reason.

During 2005 and 2006 brood viability jumped
from 85% to 98 and 100% in two seasons.  
I remember seeing sporadic jumps in viability
in 2005.  I recall inquiring on this list about what
would cause such fluctuation and sharp rises
in viability.  I was told it might have something 
to do with lack of hygienic behavior, etc.
(Many beekeeper do misinterpret viability issues
as a hygenic behavior effect.)  

But in 2006 my woodland traps captured ferals 
having 99% brood viability.  This also, a marked
improvement from prior feral viability patterns.

This was sure evidence that a healthy breeding
population of ferals was existing in my
area by 2006

> >combined with low mite pressure in the local population may
>> have much to do with succeeding without the use of treatments.

It is my belief that low mite pressure at the colony
level is probably more influenced by mite pressure
in the local population, than it is at the colony
level.  This is IMO, why researchers who test
resistance at the colony level tend to find none,
or very little.  What one finds inside a colony
is highly influenced by mite pressure in the 
local population.  It is my belief resistance 
is a shared responsibility of the population, 
and if one focuses solely on resistance at the 
colony level, they are surely missing the entire 
picture.  

Best Wishes
Joe Waggle
SW PA

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