2. What was the correlation performed ? What were the
numeric data/results ?

As I said in earlier post I know of no way to evaluate auto or allo grooming
other than by observation. I use a number method for the evaluation with the
number one being the highest awarded for grooming behavior  and three the
lowest in my notations. The time of year is in my opinion important in doing
the evaluation.

3. My - neophyte - undestanding is that allogrooming
(or grooming in general) will change two parameters :
varroa mean lifespan and varroa lifespan variance
(namely lifespan standard deviation). If you change
those 2 parameters in a varroa population model, what
is the gain ?

In my *opinion* the varroa / bee relationship  is so complex that it would
be hard to figure an exact  gain figure and the figure would vary from hive
to hive. A guess could be made. I asked the same question of my close friend
Dann Purvis (Purvis Brothers Apiaries) and he said the gain from grooming
behavior is perhaps the most valuable  single  gain for the hive in varroa
tolerance.


4. Subsidiary question : how can one measure/evaluate
varroa lifespan standard deviation ?

I am not sure. Perhaps Zach or Medhat might tackle the question.

I said:
> Myself and a couple others have got another
> hypothesis I have never seen
> voiced before which we are finding in our *bees
> which tolerate varroa* but
> will keep to myself until we are sure is a factor.

We are observing the bees which are the most healthiest and varroa tolerant
use and collect the most propolis. Now this could be a coincidence and have
no merit. We are taking a closer look.

I said:
> Many researchers lump allogrooming under the heading
> of Hygienic behavior
> which I suppose is correct in a crude way.

I wonder if it is so. In fact, I doubt it is.

I am listening!

 It seems to me grooming change parameters discussed above while
hygienic behaviour change the mean reproductoin rate
which has a different weight in the varroa population
growth model or am I far afield ?

I agree with your conclusion.  I think you are agreeing that if one looks
closer then one needs to seperate grooming from removing infested varroa
from cells.

At the present time when I speak with researchers they always lump grooming
and removing infested larva under the heading of Hygienic behavior. I doubt
they will change because you and I think they should but perhaps a few
researchers on BEE-L will comment on why they think the behavior should
continue under the general term "hygienic behavior".

I said:
 > 3. the search for the reason certain bees which
> tolerate varroa (which is
> the most complicated and difficult area to prove to
> your peers and perhaps
> will never be found out for sure) are tolerating
> varroa and thriving while
> other lines simply crash after two years untreated.

5. This is the reason of my question abot varroa
population modeling. What are the modeling parameters
of those resistant colonies ?

Survival and thriving without treatment is the parameter. Putting thousands
of hives in production with survivor queens in order to find the best
survivor queen to use as a breeder queen.

>That should help to
understand mechanisms involved, shouldn't it ?

 I really do not care to understand all the mechanisms involved . At this
point if a hive in the untreated /survivor hives becomes over come with
varroa (happens now around 1-2 %) the hive is culled. I believe these hives
occur due to supercedure and open mating  with a  drone from a hobbyist yard
which has bees with zero varroa tolerance. We believe we have found the
right combination of genetics and are now fine tuning the line.


[...] Explaining the result is a
> bigger problem especially
> if the result is from a combination of factors
> *which  need in my opinion to
> be in place for the result to occur*.

6. What are those factors ?

Genetics is the key. Most of the factors involved have been defined and
researched. Bringing the traits together in the correct combination through
breeding is the problem. Applying varroa pressure provides the proof the
combination provides not only mite tolerance but survival of the resultant
line of bees.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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