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Hi Allen, I dont mean to discredit anything they are doing. I highly respect the project and support it 100%.
What I am hearing from hear say, well, bit more than hear say, is that with all the progress they are making in terms of mite resistance they seem to have hit a brick wall. Grooming, mite searching, biting are all characteristics that the bees have acquired, but these traits havent been able to overcome the pressures of the mite.
They mention needing an intervention treatment in the hives within 3 years. Which is good, but not exactly what they are looking for.
Another interesting comment was they are finding the bees getting smarmy. And they are speculating that perhaps the bees are building a swarmy behaviour as another method to counter the mite. This is really interesting to me. After all the stock selection for grooming traits and such, the bees are reverting to the good old brood less/queen replacement method of mite control.
I am no scientist. I am not involved in this project. I am just hearing thoughts that have come from this project.
If someone who is involved with this breeding project could chime in, please. I am very curious.
Nobody wants a swamy bee. If what I am hearing is wrong, then correct me please
What I am hearing from hear say, well, bit more than hear say, is that with all the progress they are making in terms of mite resistance they seem to have hit a brick wall. Grooming, mite searching, biting are all characteristics that the bees have acquired, but these traits havent been able to overcome the pressures of the mite.
They mention needing an intervention treatment in the hives within 3 years. Which is good, but not exactly what they are looking for.
Another interesting comment was they are finding the bees getting smarmy. And they are speculating that perhaps the bees are building a swarmy behaviour as another method to counter the mite. This is really interesting to me. After all the stock selection for grooming traits and such, the bees are reverting to the good old brood less/queen replacement method of mite control.
I am no scientist. I am not involved in this project. I am just hearing thoughts that have come from this project.
If someone who is involved with this breeding project could chime in, please. I am very curious.
Nobody wants a swamy bee. If what I am hearing is wrong, then correct me please