A week ago I brought home the breeder queens for ease of grafting. They should at least have been treatment free last year (2013) and they should not have been a new colony 2013. The queen should be at least
Taking home the breeder
Producing varroa resistant bees from a local population
Erickson and Hines in test apiary 2003 Dr Eric Erickson did a great job in the 1990’s in Arizona together with A.H. Atmowidjojo and Lenard Hines (commercial beekeeper with 700 colonies), first showing it’s relatively easy to identify more resistant
First increase, the first apiary
A couple of days ago I started for the new season, to check colonies for need of food and for increase of space for bees and brood. I want to give you some glimpses. I checked four apiaries that afternoon.
Colony 47
Colony 47 is a remarkable colony. It started as a walkaway split last year. From colony 236. It is placed in apiary 4 as colony no 7. The split was moved from apiary 23 to apiary 4. When I checked
Only real treatment tell real mite population
Marco Moretti made a valid comment to the sugar shaker post. It doesn’t surprise me that Antonio Nanetti found checking mite populations besides a real treatment is unreliable. It is many factors making the results uncertain. Why beekeepers want to
Bee shaker
I wrote about counting mites recently. Even if I don’t, others do, and sometimes it gives information that may help you make a decision. John Harbo mentioned when he lectured in Sweden in May 2013 that before choosing the method
Struggle for resistant bees
Yes, do struggle for resistant bees. Don’t just talk about it! Or say an easy no, it’s impossible, or an easy yes: ”Just do like I tell you.” Tell me your success story. I tell you mine, well a part
I don’t count mites
I know it can be beneficial to count mites. But I don’t have the time. But those colonies I check for VSH, they will get figures enough to get the infection rate for mites in brood. (But I just check
Killer factor alone is not enough
Progress is accomplished by people devoted to find solutions to problems and make life easier for all of us. When people are dedicated for a task, we should be grateful and try to help if possible. Sometimes though it may
Europe versus USA: breeding varroa resistence
Rüdiger Dietrich’s comment is so good I made it into a post of its own as well. Thanks Rüdiger! As a German I have of course to answer to Eriks contribution “Breeding for Varroa resistance: Germany versus USA”…:-). When commenting