Hi all, 
Great posts from Randy, Bob, Allen, etc on AFB monitoring, control, etc. 

I would give a lot of credit to queen lines that we are using with lower incidences of AFB, and less damage from Treacheal mites. I'm just a commercial beekeeper and can only do so much with bee breeding. I'm very happy to have folks like Marla, Susan, and other unsung heroes doing research on queen lines. 

I was just ordering up some VSH stock from Tom Glenn to prepare for queen breeders for our Florida operation. I was prepared to order VSH stock "color blind" , but I ended up asking for VSH with Italian coloration. I ordered VSH x MH drones, and straight up VSH x VSH drones, and a Carni with VSH. I called my friend David Miksa to see what he has tried and what he will try in the future. It turned out he ordered about the same lines I did. 

David and Linda have always impressed upon me the necessity to have a diversity of genetic lines to avoid problems . They always keep a mix going. 

We have approached the VSH lines with some caution. I've gotten some real dud lines (Russians)many years ago from someone grafting  for us before we did our own. It's unreal what a difference it makes. Trust me on this one.

 But I will say I like what I see from our VSH lines we grafted from and let mate with our stock. I lean towards stock that makes big clusters to winter so we can have pollinators for almonds, are relatively easy to work, and hopefully can help us get off the chemical treadmill. Oh...and don't forget honey making. 
I have a couple of hundred splits that I installed Park's stock into.  We will mark the best honey makers from these this fall. They will be in our breeder yard along with the VSH stock. 

On the AFB discussion, it is a non issue for us. Some years we may find  one here and there and just burn it. On one occasion a few years ago I found 5 hives on two pallets that had a light FB infection just before they were to go to the orchards. STrong hives. I just marked them and dusted them with Tylan/sugar.  They all cleared up when i saw them again. Must have go into a dead hive somewhere in the neighborhood. Not to worry. If they had any infection after treatment, just torch em. Very small impact on bottom line. 

Anyone have anything to say about Buckfast lines? Where are the breeders/sellers? What are the characteristics they exhibit today? David Miksa told me he sells them to some of the Georgia guys, I think for comb honey production if I'm not mistaken. 

k

Kirk Jones

Sleeping Bear Farms   beekeepers making honey...
Benzie Playboys           cajun and zydeco band........

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