Breeding hygienic bees at Sussex Uni

[Chris B]

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lasi/newsandevents/events/hygienecourse

Looks like a good opportunity for more experienced beekeepers to benefit from the work going on at Sussex with a bit of free training.

I hope they fill this course and good luck to them. I definitely believe the way forward is for more of a partnership approach between scientists and beekeepers.

 

[blackbrood]

thats looks like an excellent course to attend. I wish I lived closer to Sussex.

If any one is fortunate enough to goe, Good luck, enjoy and post some feedback

BB

 

[Poly Hive]

Steve Taber was the man for this.

whether his work was carried on in the States or not I do not know but his book is a very good read, Breeding Super Bees.

PH

 

[blackbrood]

I might buy that as it sounds like an interesting book to read once I have got through my books bought at Christmas.Thanks for the suggestion PH. From reading online, most articles I read about hygienic bees comes from the Minnesota university and they seem heavily involved in developing hygienic's. I dont know if Taber worked in Minnesota

 

[cak29]

I was reading the Sussex website yesterday as one of my colleagues mentioned that they had a beekeeping section at the University. Good to see that research is continuing and seen as important.

 

[jameskilty]

You will be able to see hygienic behaviour in your bees by careful observation. At the hive entrance, removing larvae (efb and afb) mummies (chalkbrood), pupae (varroa?). Also damaged mites on the varroa tray - also chewed pupae bits. As I don't want to keep posting the url (it has already been mentioned in another thread My name is rare so google for the obvious, like VSH Cornwall.

 

[Poly Hive]

If I remember rightly Taber was rather more scientific.

A block of brood was frozen and then length of time the bees took to remove and repair was the judge of how hygienic they were. At the time he wrote varroa was not in the UK or States though.

PH

 

[Norton]

From reading online, most articles I read about hygienic bees comes from the Minnesota university and they seem heavily involved in developing hygienic's. I dont know if Taber worked in Minnesota

The Minnesota Hygienic lines were developed by Marla Spivak and Co. Some of the genetic material that went into the development of these lines originated from bees that Steve Taber had a hand in breeding.
Best regards
Norton

 

[drstitson]

"If I remember rightly Taber was rather more scientific.

A block of brood was frozen and then length of time the bees took to remove and repair was the judge of how hygienic they were. At the time he wrote varroa was not in the UK or States though."

frozen brood assay is what Sussex Uni group ARE using and promoting.

 

[Poly Hive]

I was referring my comment to post #6.

PH

 

[wightbees]

you can see wha the bees are upto by taking a slice of the cappings off the worker brood.The Bees that are more hygienic uncap the brood and Recap as needed.
http://kettlevalleyqueens.com/

 

[jameskilty]

It is a moot point as to which is better - to do something like freeze brood to kill a section and count those removed (easy for the scientist) - or observe what the bees actually do with cells in the real scenario. We are aiming for processes ordinary beekeepers can use.I wish I had the time to examine the number of varroa that Ron has done in his excellent work. I believe all beekeepers can make the observations I have mentioned and my colleague Rodger Dewhurst has been promoting up and down the ccountry and on the continent at SICAMM. I mentioned bees biting the beekeeper (noticed by Rodger and bred for) as an indicator in a post on the Irish Beekeeping List many years ago. Remember that the scientists ignored bees' trait of damaging mites as the error bar was too great to show it was definitely a genetic trait that could be selected for yet Wallner had his Varroa Kill Factor years ago. So let's get together in local groups and select and pass on genetic material. There are BKA's and BIBBA groups up and down the country (UK) doing this. We happened to start officially in 2002. Whether this line proves successful or not we'll see. What's important is to do it ourselves and not wait for a "superbee" that we'll all import and destroy our best local stock. A.m.m. is dominant here genetically and all other races or hybreds (Buckfasts of varying provenance) and does well in our erratic weather in West Cornwall, getting more honey than commercial beekeepers get with other bees and free of acarine. The foul brood diseases get here in all cases I know about through imports from other parts of the UK.

 

[mbc]

Hats off to those with the skill, time and patience to scientifically assess VSH etc. but for those , like me, who dont have the skill, time and patience ( or resources ) to evaluate hygienic traits in a meticulous way, what I do is to look carefully at the brood nest. This should tell you whether the bees are hygienic and also if they are coping with varroa

 

[MuswellMetro]

Has any one got a place on this course, i understand it now has a very long reserve list and is full all days

MM

 

[drstitson]

I'm confirmed on it for the monday and roger pattison is also on the mailing list.

will get back to the panel about how it went and implications for everyone else!!!

 

[Chris B]

Yes got confirmation for the Monday too. See you there.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Yes got confirmation for the Monday too. See you there.

Monday as well, so see you both

 

[BobsBees]

I,m on the Monday too. Loking forward to meeting up with everyone on here that we see week in week out.
Looks like at least four are BIBBA members.
Bob

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I got a pass-out so I'm there on Monday as well.

 

[Adam]

I,m on the Monday too. Loking forward to meeting up with everyone on here that we see week in week out.
Looks like at least four are BIBBA members.
Bob

There's more than that. There is so many on the Monday they might as well make it the AGM....

Adam