A COMPARISON OF TRACHEAL MITE RESISTANCE IN 2 COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE STOCKS OF HONEY-BEES

Queens of 2 possibly tracheal mite resistant lines were introduced into mite-infested colonies to determine mite resistance. Workers of the 'Buckfast' line from Weaver Apiaries, Texas, had significantly lower mite prevalence and mite load than workers from colonies with queens from a California source. Five of the six colonies with the Buckfast queens displayed resistance to the mite by maintaining mite levels well below an economic threshold for 7 months without treatments. This apparently mite-resistant line is commercially available for beekeepers, and would be suitable for further selection and the study of mite resistance.