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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Just Bee <marty AT justbeenc.com>
  • To: Lewis Cauble <lewis AT hivebody.com>
  • Cc: Orange County Beekeepers Association <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] "Live and Let Die" and Spring Meeting Info
  • Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:20:29 -0500

Thanks Lewis

Actually I agree but I think I muddled my reply. My idea-observation to the "community" idea is that if several beekeepers in the same area did this collectively it would be the same as one person owning 50+. This would then be a shared experiment with "maybe" a better or diverse breeding outcome. NOT a I do not agree totally reply. Sorry if it was misunderstood.

 Thanks for the direct link to Toms work I'll have to check that out.
Marty



Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 21, 2013, at 12:35 PM, Lewis Cauble <lewis AT hivebody.com> wrote:

It absolutely is a warning to hobbyist trying to breed resistant bees using the Bond method.  It is not meant to discourage hobbyist from breeding resistant bees.  It is only warning you that the Bond method is not a suitable way to do it. 

 

Varroa resistance is a trait in our bees and studies indicate that between 3 and 10% of our bees have this trait.  If you have a group of 100 colonies you will likely find between 3 and 10 colonies with these good traits.  How do you identify these traits?  Monitor mite pressure in untreated colonies.  Those colonies that are keeping infestation levels below 10% without treatment should be bred from.  Those that are not should be requeened with genetic material from those that are.  Monitoring infestation levels is required.  This was the point I was trying to convey with the ABJ attachment the other day.  I have a strong untreated colony that had at the end of the summer 4 mites in a sugar shake of 300 bees.  This is my breeder for 2013.  Doesn't mean she is going to produce daughter queens that lead resistant colonies, but it's a start.

 

Tarpy's point was that watching colonies die from varroa infestation and replacing them with package bees is going to be a waste of resources.

 

Why not give your breeding program a boost by bringing in some VSH queens from a reputable breeder?

 

I believe Seely's experiment demonstrated the avirulence of mites in feral colonies.  In this setting, mites can ill afford to kill their host as the next host colony is quite a distance away.  He moved his feral queens into managed yards and they did not fare any better than other colonies in the yard.  The bees were the same in the managed and feral colonies.  The mites were different.  In a managed setting, it is no big deal if a colony of mites wipes out its host colony.  They simply hitch a ride to the colony next door and continue their no good ways. Here's a link to his study

 

Lewis


On January 21, 2013 at 10:59 AM Just Bee <marty AT justbeenc.com> wrote:

Thanks for the links. I especially like the  Bond article. I did not however see any reference to 50 hives in Seeley's work. Seems to be warning against hobbyist. Only point missing is if a community or group decided to do this then the size of the "kept" bees or number would not matter. Bees don't care if I think I own them of 10 of us do. So I disagree with the 50 hive threshold. Seems an easy way to discourage hobbyist or sideliners given how far bees fly and feral colony's there will always bee some genetic mixing. 
 
As to the "Monsanto" sponsored conference...NO Thanks! To have such a sale out as Hayes come and be apart of the joint conference speaks volumes to the massive disconnect in our bee groups and to a larger hold the big AG has over this industry. I fully understand this is just My view but for Monsanto to be allowed to placed a speaker at 3 different times within the conference to promote how they are gonna "help the bees" is not for me. 

They make and sell products the kill and/or effect bees...any type of support of that by our State Bee groups is a disappointment. 
 
So no thanks.
Marty

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 20, 2013, at 10:36 AM, Lewis Cauble < lewis AT hivebody.com> wrote:

 

Hello Beekeepers, 

The Spring Ebuzz from NCSBA came out on Jan 9th and has a good article on the "Live and Let Die" method of dealing with mites.  We discussed this method at our summer field day.  Dr Tarpy makes a good case that it is not a viable method for folks with fewer than 50 colonies and urges us to monitor mite pressure.  I have attached it for folks who may not be members of NCSBA. 

 

Also in the EBuzz is the agenda for the joint SCSBA/NCSBA spring meeting in York.  The line up of guest speakers and workshops looks fantastic and I have also attached that document along with a registration form.  You may also register at the SCSBA website or simply register at the door.  Preregistration will save you 10 bucks.  

 

Lewis 

   

 

 

<EBuzz Mites.pdf>
<SCSBA Meeting.pdf>
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