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From:
"J. Waggle" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 12 Nov 2006 12:20:29 -0500
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>I have not ever seen a experiment published (other than mine and Dan's)
>which involved stress & adding extra varroa to the hive.

Hello Bob,

How the stress factor plays into varroa infestations is something that 
needs looked at.   I have witnessed this spring, a fascinating example of 
just how stress plays into a colonies ability to control mites.  Under 
some extreme stress conditions, it seems a colony can temporary loose it’s 
hygienic abilities or other beneficial traits.

      
>Hives in most USDA experiments sit in a single location by researchers and
>are feed both syrup & pollen patties. The hives of yours, Dee's and Dennis
>M. are never moved. Are never placed in areas of thousands of varroa
>infested hives with drifting drones.

I don’t know that any colony can cope with a sudden onslaught of varroa in 
very large numbers.  What I am seeing is a gradual decrease over time of 
varroa.  But it will be interesting to see what your results are in this 
area.    

>I am going to take 25 pounds of small cell foundation and wire into new
>frames ( yuk!) and place in super strong hives at the height of brood
>rearing in May. Two to a hive or around 80+ hives involved. Once drawn and
>the queens lay in I will go in and pull pupa at the purple eye stage and
>observe and see what you are seeing ( or not).

I would recommend waiting till year 2 or 3 to make conclusions of what we 
are seeing.  The first season will for some reason show an increase in 
mites for some reason and may include other stress symptoms that could be 
interpreted wrongly if judgments are made too soon concerning small cell. 

Most beekeepers regress with their survivors.  Survivors tend to have low 
brood viability.  So one needs to regress the first year, and then select 
for queen fundamentals and at least 95% viability, then the following 
season see the results.  Many expect small cell as a cure all, it is not 
for it must be accompanied by good beekeeping practices and quality stock 
which I know you have already.   

>Dennis says the experiment is worth doing and I should see what you small
>cell people are seeing.

With your expert knowledge in bee biology, it will be fascinating to hear 
how you interpret what you are seeing.

I’m on small cell for 6 years now.  Because I have had bees on small cell 
long term, I am seeing things that I have not noticed in short term 
observations.  Due to my observations with small and large cell bees, I am 
scraping ALL claims by researchers that varroa infestation is correlated 
to the amount of brood.  I have found that varroa infestation is 
correlated to ‘the infestation rate of worker brood‘, not the amount of 
brood, there is a difference between the two. 

My thinking now is that the higher infestation rate of worker brood in 
larger cell colonies causes a selective advantage for queens with low 
brood viability, because these will be the survivors and usually have low 
mite counts.  And any varroa suppression trait selected using mite counts 
in colonies where infestation rate of worker brood is high, will IMO 
inevitably include low brood viability, because of low viabilities 
influence on the varroa infestation rate of worker cells.   

From what I am seeing my smaller cell colonies is that the selective 
pressure for low brood viability as a means of mite suppression appears to 
be eliminated from this natural selective process. This seems to have 
improved my ability to select colonies for their true mite suppression 
qualities, and I do not get the bi-directional unintentional selection for 
low brood viability many have stated occures.  This has allowed me to 
easily and substantially increase my brood viability over all.  

Joe Waggle 
Ecologicalbeekeeping.com 
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries' 
Feral Bee Project:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeralBeeProject/   

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