- Joined
- Jan 13, 2015
- Messages
- 7,641
- Reaction score
- 665
- Location
- Bedfordshire, England
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
- Number of Hives
- Quite a few
My local association had arranged for Kevin Thorn to come and give a presentation last night about his experience with a BIBBA group.
He told how the groups stock is based on 3 queens they acquired from Jo Widdicombe in 2017(?). Of course, my first question was "What was the relationship between them?" as this is a very small number to base a programme on.
He said they were not closely related but, my concern would be that, coming from a single supplier, they were bound to be related to an extent.
My second question concerned the marking of queens, since this is fundamental to any sort of breeding programme. To my surprise, he gave a "smoke-screen" answer about genes that did not answer my question at all. I was expecting him to say that were marked with numbered plastic discs (as my Amc are). The reason became obvious when he explained that they rely on open mating and they assumed there was enough variation in the area to prevent inbreeding. Well, yes. In theory there probably are, but, this is not the way to run a breeding programme.
He seemed quite proud of the money his group has received from corporate sponsors (Tesco and the local Water company), as well he might be. It is good to hear of companies helping to sponsor beekeeping.
I lost the thread about what he was trying to say about Hygiene testing. A 24 hour natural mite drop test in December is not the way to establish this. I can only suggest that he reads the Coloss protocol. For me, his talk demonstrated how much they still have to learn.
No doubt I will take some flack for posting this, but, my intention is to offer it as constructive criticism. If I can see these deficiencies, others will see them too.
He told how the groups stock is based on 3 queens they acquired from Jo Widdicombe in 2017(?). Of course, my first question was "What was the relationship between them?" as this is a very small number to base a programme on.
He said they were not closely related but, my concern would be that, coming from a single supplier, they were bound to be related to an extent.
My second question concerned the marking of queens, since this is fundamental to any sort of breeding programme. To my surprise, he gave a "smoke-screen" answer about genes that did not answer my question at all. I was expecting him to say that were marked with numbered plastic discs (as my Amc are). The reason became obvious when he explained that they rely on open mating and they assumed there was enough variation in the area to prevent inbreeding. Well, yes. In theory there probably are, but, this is not the way to run a breeding programme.
He seemed quite proud of the money his group has received from corporate sponsors (Tesco and the local Water company), as well he might be. It is good to hear of companies helping to sponsor beekeeping.
I lost the thread about what he was trying to say about Hygiene testing. A 24 hour natural mite drop test in December is not the way to establish this. I can only suggest that he reads the Coloss protocol. For me, his talk demonstrated how much they still have to learn.
No doubt I will take some flack for posting this, but, my intention is to offer it as constructive criticism. If I can see these deficiencies, others will see them too.
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