Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Mon, 13 Jul 2015 12:17:14 -0500 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Real or perceived problems with resistant bees are worth discussing.
If a selected group of bees is only partly resistant (i.e. simply
slows the positive growth of mite populations) it is only moderately
useful, perhaps for sideliners and hobbyists who monitor for mite
levels and then treat. If this partial resistance is achieved through
colony growth patterns that do not match the need for broody and
populous colonies at certain times of year, then such bees are of even
less commercial value in the current forms of migratory, pollination-
based beekeeping. However, if the material is highly resistant
(capable of keeping mite numbers low or actually decreasing them) and
this is achieved through well documented active defensive mechanisms
the potential is there. In theory, good performance for beekeeping
applications and high resistance can be packaged together (with the
caveat that there may be a cost to very high levels of resistance).
The consensus out there among those watching resistant colonies is
that one can find all levels of combinations of the above two
factors. Currently there are a number of projects looking at finding
these "perfect" combinations. Could commercial queen producers who
ship hundreds of thousands of queens all over the world participate in
the selection and distribution of bees with these characteristics? No
one "product" will be perfect for everybody and for every location,
but is something close enough feasible or realistic? It depends on
who you ask, but judging these possibilities from very early or
imperfect products may be unfair.
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
|
|