[Allen Dick]

Ian asked about the Saskatraz bees. I know a little about them, but very little.

Albert Robertson is behind the project along with a group of Saskatchewan beekeepers. He has some fairly high credentials scientifically AFAIK.

I know Albert and saw him in Orlando, but did not have a chance to talk much. Word has it that he lost his original colonies last winter, but those were old queens by now and kept for breeding. He still has the descendant stock. I had intended to chat with him, since I am interested in getting some strongly disease resistant bees and my friends think quite highly of his stock and use it in their commercial operation. I saw it last year while inspecting and the bees looked good, but they were not a gentle as some. Others are not as enthusiastic as my friends about the project, but I respect their judgement.

Albert sells breeder queens, but they are expensive, and not, I am told, tested. He also has plans to reproduce his stock in Chile and have it shipped up, but the word is that the cost will be high. My friends buy cells from him, run them in a dedicated yard, do their own selection and reproduction and are quite pleased.

So, there, I have told you more than I actually know. Corrections and additions to what I have offered here are welcome, but that gives us a start.

 

[Allen Dick]

104th MBA CONVENTION
2010 MANITOBA BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION CONVENTION
CANAD INNS BRANDON – KEYSTONE CENTRE (Salon A)
BRANDON MANITOBA
MARCH 5 & 6, 2010
http://www.manitobabee.org/bulletins.shtml

4:45 p.m. Friday:
Saskatraz Breeding Program – Dr. Albert Robertson, Meadow Ridge Enterprises, Saskatoon, SK

 

[Allen Dick]

> ...his hives were still unable to break the two or three year life span without virtually completely yard die out. So basically, without beekeeper intervention, his hives managed another year without treatments.

That is pretty good. I guess the question is, what is causing the eventual death? Is it mites levels increasing, or is it a build-up of secondary diseases and pathogens? Was any answer given?

> ... So basically, he was mentioning we cant expect to gain everything we want in our bees, we might have to sacrifice some trait we really appreciate in our hives.

That is a general rule, and applies in the short term in limited populations. We have a long time ahead of us and huge populations, so my guess is that we will see an eventual victory, assuming that we are not totally swamped by something new in the meantime.

> How much more SMR or VHS can we get the hives? Even the pure line SMR and VHS lines dont seem to survive real commercial time for longer than 3 years or so.

There are management techniques that involve constantly making new colonies and disposing of the old. They can even work in the North, although there is more work, equipment and expertise required. Plus there is more risk.