Are there any standards in the bee industry for breeding
programs? Who is to say what is productive, disease resistant, gentle
and in general a pleasant bee to keep?  What beekeepers will tolerate in
their stock, is what they will have to work with in their program.  What
should beekeepers have to tolerate?  Do beekeepers realize the full
potential of their bees?
        After talking with many private individuals and some bee clubs,
I find that many beekeepers are simply unaware of what can be
accomplished in beekeeping,IF stock is mantained and selection pressure
is common practice in the breeding program.
        I enjoy working with bees very much, but I do not have to
tolerate diseased colonies that have a tendency to sting me when I enter
the yard to perform daily tasks.  I prefer to enter a yard of bees where
I can work my colonies with minimal smoke, a pair of shorts, maybe a
shirt if it is a cool day, and a veil sitting on the tailgate of my
truck.  I also like knowing that I don't have to use medications to keep
my bees free of minor diseases.  If a disease appears, I simply
eliminate that queen.  Often times I can find the appearance of the same
disease somewhere in the queen's family history, so I select against
such undesirable traits.
        Beekeeping is meant to be an enjoyable hobby or business.  Bees
can be productive and pleasant to work at the same time, but beekeepers
need to be aware of what they should expect from their colonies.
 
 
Sincerely,
Joe Latshaw