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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 30 Oct 2015 08:26:52 -0700
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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:
Re: Drone brood removal technique
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From:
randy oliver <[log in to unmask]>
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>
> >I have always worried that the removal of drone brood might select for
> mites
> that prefer worker brood.  Should I be worried?


Peter, I'm concerned for you health.  Constant worrying is bad for it.  Bee
happy--don't worry : )

I also questioned, so I did the math.  What you need to look at is the
relative selective pressure.  That is, what factors restrict varroa
reproductive success compared to the loss of success in drone brood.

Since mites produce roughly 3x as many offspring in drone brood, and since
few beekeepers will consistently remove more than 2/3rds of the drone brood
from their colonies, it would still be to the mites' advantage to prefer
drone brood.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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