VARROA SENSITIVE HYGIENE

[polymath]

Yes, from Paul Walton and from Northumberland Bees
SIPA have UK bred VSH too

University of Sussex did a breeding programme, LASI, but had to stop unfortunately.

 

[polymath]

If you want to see it that way, yes, it is about seeing the maximum evolution in a colony without external sources (reinfestation by drone or by theft).
It also serves to determine if the colony can cope and to what degree it does.

Jonathan Brookhouse, at TwoBrooksBees in Surrey also sells Queens; Two Brooks Bees

 

[Erichalfbee]

University of Sussex did a breeding programme, LASI, but had to stop unfortunately.

Yes. I had two of those. Not up to much.

The Sussex apiary got EFB

 

[Ian123]

Yes. I had two of those. Not up to much.

The Sussex apiary got EFB

Not t as hygienic as they thought!…. I think many vsh sellers here are breeding off imported breeder queens. The problem in the UK is there are few if any that can compare to the breeding programs and groups abroad.
I’ve a Peter Stofen VSH breeder queen and raised many F1 queens from her last year. I’d of thought the majority of UK VSH are simply F1 types and wonder if any are actually tested, purely relying on the fact they are reared from proven stock.
I don’t think atm that VSH is a silver bullet but it should prove additional tool for colony health.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’d of thought the majority of UK VSH are simply F1 types and wonder if any are actually tested,

Paul has been testing his thoroughly but I don't think he sells his queens routinely...he's just part of a bigger Carnica group. It seems maybe Europe gets the benefit not us.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think @Brian Bush has worked with Paul? Maybe I'm mistaken

 

[Ian123]

Paul has been testing his thoroughly but I don't think he sells his queens routinely...he's just part of a bigger Carnica group. It seems maybe Europe gets the benefit not us.

Yes I’m aware but he’s on the few and far between scale!!!

 

[Newbeeneil]

Jonathan Brookhouse, at TwoBrooksBees in Surrey also sells Queens; Two Brooks Bees

I have had a couple of Jonathan's, they seem to be performing quite well but I believe Jonathan lost a lot of his hives last year. (2021). As many other did.

 

[JohnRB]

Thanks John

How are you monitoring the varroa numbers?

If you left the winter treatment, you'd learn a lot more about which colonies had the better "vsh" traits for breeding purposes

I use a VarroCheck once a month - I used to use alcohol, but now use the CO2 injector as I felt I was killing a lot of bees just to find very few varroa

 

[JohnRB]

Yes I’m aware but he’s on the few and far between scale!!!

At least twice in the last 2 or 3 years (that I know of), Paul has had an open day for local beekeepers to graft from his queens, as well as giving a talk on how the BeeBreed programme works and the testing that he does (extensive is an understatement). There should be quite a lot of his queens' genetics out in the wild now. He is also the only person I have met who uses langstroth bodies as supers. His honey yields are off the scale.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Very hard to pin down the compounds from reproducing varroa - there seems to be a "laboratory race" to identify and replicate them in an easy to use form for beekeepers. Will be interesting to learn if the UBO is any more effective than a pin test. Please keep us posted on your progress - thank you

Steve, remember that a hygienic test...whether pin test or frozen brood assay...selects for dead brood odor. AFB, Chalkbrood, Sacbrood, etc. UBO selects for unhealthy brood...high varroa load and/or high virus load.

 

[Steve at Westerham Beeks]

Yes, from Paul Walton and from Northumberland Bees
SIPA have UK bred VSH too

Are sure the original genetics aren't from overseas breeders? A lot are imported then grafted from for a UK marketing badge.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are sure the original genetics aren't from overseas breeders? A lot are imported then grafted from for a UK marketing badge.

Yes they likely are considering that so few breeders are seriously doing this work. In the U.K. we are hugely behind.
You have to start somewhere

 

[Swarm]

Steve, remember that a hygienic test...whether pin test or frozen brood assay...selects for dead brood odor. AFB, Chalkbrood, Sacbrood, etc. UBO selects for unhealthy brood...high varroa load and/or high virus load.

I watched a presentation by Marla Spivak where she mentions UBO and the differences you describe.

 

[Ian123]

Are sure the original genetics aren't from overseas breeders? A lot are imported then grafted from for a UK marketing badge.

Their dark bees are not sold as VSH only the Bucks I suspect from imported breeders and there’s nothing wrong with that Nor according to the advert do they claim VSH queens but queens raised from a VSH breeder. Rather like I suggested in the earlier post. I have 2 of their II Queens.
“We offer two different lines of bees, Northumberland Dark Bee or Northumberland Buckfast from VSH (varroa sensitive and hygienic breeder queens)”

https://www.northumberlandhoney.co.uk/bees

 

[Steve at Westerham Beeks]

Steve, remember that a hygienic test...whether pin test or frozen brood assay...selects for dead brood odor. AFB, Chalkbrood, Sacbrood, etc. UBO selects for unhealthy brood...high varroa load and/or high virus load.

Other research (not yet published) is on the varroa offspring, rather than impact of the larvae / pupae. There is some scepticism on the UBO which might be professional competitiveness. All heading in the right direction to reduce the breeding of varroa naive bees.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Steve

 

[Steve at Westerham Beeks]

Their dark bees are not sold as VSH only the Bucks I suspect from imported breeders and there’s nothing wrong with that Nor according to the advert do they claim VSH queens but queens raised from a VSH breeder. Rather like I suggested in the earlier post. I have 2 of their II Queens.
“We offer two different lines of bees, Northumberland Dark Bee or Northumberland Buckfast from VSH (varroa sensitive and hygienic breeder queens)”

https://www.northumberlandhoney.co.uk/bees

Would love to see them in the spring if you are up for a visit?
Steve

 

[Michael Palmer]

Always up for a visit here in Vermont.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Other research (not yet published) is on the varroa offspring, rather than impact of the larvae / pupae. There is some scepticism on the UBO which might be professional competitiveness. All heading in the right direction to reduce the breeding of varroa naive bees.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Steve

Steve do you think you can even get to that stage without letting bee-mite co-evolution play out?

 

[Ian123]

Would love to see them in the spring if you are up for a visit?
Steve

If you like…..