Hi Mike: I appreciate your reply to my comment questioning whether or not you are (still) a beekeeper. I understood from your post that you have no bees due to self-admitted neglect. Don't get me wrong. I am very sorry for your loss, and share your wish for mite-proof bees. I think the question of who can honestly think of himself and call himself a beekeeper these days does need examination and that's why I commented on the list. I think the rules have changed without many of us noticing. It might help to realise that your 100% loss is a direct result of thinking that you still qualify as a beekeeper. Events have proved you wrong. The implication seemed to be that it is somehow the bees' fault (not being mite resistant) that they are all dead. Not so. Bees properly kept will still survive - even today. We have the tools. At this very moment my son (24, BA in Philosophy) is on his way (700 miles each way) to an intensive Bee Masters course. He has kept his own bees (24 hives - he usually beats my average) and worked in a large commercial outfit since he was ten, but still is not really (100%) a beekeeper. You might think this is a harsh judgement, but it is the truth and he knows it. That's why he's investing the time and effort to learn - and to write the exam. I'm personally signed up for the 3 day disease and mite clinic presented in Edmonton by our province as well as another course much farther away. I have also budgetted $10,000 for mite detection and control this year. If you have been allowing your hives to collapse with varroa, I pity your neighbours who are (hopefully) doing everything right. Why not get with the program? It's not *that* tough. The ante for calling yourself a beekeeper has been raised. Mites are here. There are no mite-proof honeybees. Even *mite-resistant* bees need an insightful and competant beekeeper who is prepared to use controls as indictated. There is no magic bullet. You have to think and observe and manage - and raise your sights. If you don't - no matter what you wish - you are not a beekeeper anymore because you simply can't keep bees alive - and that is the *minimum* standard. ------------------------------- P.S. I hope you - and others - find this useful. I spent two and a half hours trying to say it nicely. How did I do? I know it still could be construed as being a little abrupt, and I apologise in advance.