I have always thought it odd that researchers have taken the russian bee to louisiana for breeding and testing. I think over time the bee will change to the enviroment.
My thoughts on this are many but would like to focus on one main point for now. In louisiana the nectar sources are pretty much throughout the year. The yearly brood cycle must be longer than in the north. Although I have never been to russia and the primorsky area, I would imagine the nectar sources and brood cycles would have to be different from louisiana. Are we taking a bee programmed for lasting long(er) in winter and somehow weakening it by breeding it in louisiana? In russia, those bees not able to last through genetics or other characteristics, for periods of 4, 5, or 6 months, are naturally culled from the gene pool in winter. Is the same being done in Louisiana?
I don't need a bee lasting 2 or 3 months though winter. I need a bee capable of lasting 4 to 6 months depending on how bad a particular winter is.
I have seen great losses in the past several years all come from late winter kill off. Seems they do fine for a period of time, and then they hit a brick wall, and losses quickly mount up. I have seen it from many beekeepers. I have stated previously that bee life-span is questionable. Not just from the mite and associated viral and bacterial pressures, but perhaps even from treatments themselves. (acids, etc.)
I think that over time the bees in the south are not being culled as what would be naturally dictated by longer northern winters.
Have we been breeding the bees in the south, able to cope with a southern winter, then asking them to handle a different set of requirmenets after we ship them north. I have always thought this. But never really thought specifically about the russian bees in louisiana.
Will this effect the russian bees over time when we place so much on the efforts such as in facilities in louisiana for a more northern bee as the russian?
Comments?
My thoughts on this are many but would like to focus on one main point for now. In louisiana the nectar sources are pretty much throughout the year. The yearly brood cycle must be longer than in the north. Although I have never been to russia and the primorsky area, I would imagine the nectar sources and brood cycles would have to be different from louisiana. Are we taking a bee programmed for lasting long(er) in winter and somehow weakening it by breeding it in louisiana? In russia, those bees not able to last through genetics or other characteristics, for periods of 4, 5, or 6 months, are naturally culled from the gene pool in winter. Is the same being done in Louisiana?
I don't need a bee lasting 2 or 3 months though winter. I need a bee capable of lasting 4 to 6 months depending on how bad a particular winter is.
I have seen great losses in the past several years all come from late winter kill off. Seems they do fine for a period of time, and then they hit a brick wall, and losses quickly mount up. I have seen it from many beekeepers. I have stated previously that bee life-span is questionable. Not just from the mite and associated viral and bacterial pressures, but perhaps even from treatments themselves. (acids, etc.)
I think that over time the bees in the south are not being culled as what would be naturally dictated by longer northern winters.
Have we been breeding the bees in the south, able to cope with a southern winter, then asking them to handle a different set of requirmenets after we ship them north. I have always thought this. But never really thought specifically about the russian bees in louisiana.
Will this effect the russian bees over time when we place so much on the efforts such as in facilities in louisiana for a more northern bee as the russian?
Comments?