[Beeslave]

Some guys have bee trouble some don't. It seems from many reads here that those that raise their own queens(adapted to their migratory or stationary operations) seem to do better. Some use off label mite treatments and some don't. Can bees be breed to become resistant to the beekeeper and other ag applied chems? Just as the "bugs" the chems are used for become resistant to those chems. Since we can't stop all chem useage without catasrophic effects would it be better for the chem companies to work with breeding bees resistant to what they put on the market for other pests. I'm not saying I'm for this but the way the "Last beekeeper" thread is heading got me thinking. I'm wondering if those that don't think Imidolcrid's are a problem is it because their bees have more resistance to these chems?

 

[wfuavenger]

why do you want bees with chemical tolerance? why dont you want bees with genetic qualities that kill off or resist pest populations? All we are doing by treating with massive amounts of chemicals is creating pests that are resistant to those chemicals. And once they become resistant we have to try to find some other chemical...

 

[Tom G. Laury]

Here in Fresno County, we have been trying to breed chemical resistant bees for a long long time. That is one characteristic that would be invaluable here. We need some locally acclimated strains with that DnA.

Like Lock on Ready queens

 

[Beeslave]

why do you want bees with chemical tolerance? QUOTE]

Because it is obvious we are not going to stop the crop farmers from using them.

 

[BEES4U]

Probably and somewhat true:
As soon as the PCA's find the bees can take a bigger hit they will move the pints of material up a few notches unless it's cost prohibitive.
Ernie

 

[Michael Bush]

Breed bees to resist the poisons in the hive? And people to resist the poisions in the honey? Wouldn't it be easier to breed bees to resist the pests?

 

[wfuavenger]

I agree. If we select for mite resistance, hygenic behavior and several other traits we will make the bees stronger. Conversley, if we continue to use chemicals, we run the risk of creating chemical tolerant pests.

To prove my point all I have to say is: staphylococcus that is resistant to some antibiotics.

Look at extender patties. We are lazy and figured we would slap Terramycin on the hives for extended periods. All it will take is a little more time and we will end up with full blown Terramycin resistant strains everywhere.....

 

[Beeslave]

There you are banging on the beekeeper again. I'm talking more about the crop farmers chems(Imidolcrid) that they will not stop using!!! Like I said, It's not that I'm for this but wondering if those that don't seem to think that the farm chems are a problem, is it because their bees are more resistant to them.

 

[wfuavenger]

sorry, I thought you ment inside the hive.

As far as breeding goes for crop poisons, you would have to use VERY low levels of the poison over a long time in a controled setting with no harvesting of honey to get the bees to develope a resistance. By that time, whatever was being selected for (the pesticide) will become tolerated by the bugs they were intended to kill and something new and "better" would be developed and in use.... We would constantly be chasing the back side of the tolerance curve....

The most effective way would probably be to have chemists in the poison companies develope a chemical that doesnt affect bees....

 

[Grant]

I think we are inadvertantly breeding bees, by default, which are resistant to chemicals, both in and outside the hive.

This is particularly true with those who use off-label chems and those who raise bees in heavily sprayed forage areas.

The susceptible bees die and the resistant ones are left to breed, provided you raise your own queens from these survivors.

Right now, I'm trying to raise a queen that produces bees that are defiantly resistant to my procrastination, my ignorance, my inability to climb a learning curve and my busy schedule, not to mention some of the ficklest weather I've ever seen.

Grant
Jackson, MO