Government in breeding a super honey bee.

[Beeboy]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/05/16/the-government-is-breeding-a-super-honeybee-really/

Anyone seen this? I'm not a big Obama fan, but I'm glad he's doing this.

Speaking of super bee my bro drove one way to fast back in the 60's & 70's.

[camero7]

If they improve on the Pol-Line, their latest release I'll be a buyer. I love the Pol-Lines. Hardy, productive with medium winter clusters who don't eat you out of house and home. Biggest problem, still need to treat them, although they do demonstrate some degree of varroa resistance.

[tbonekel]

I like the "bee cam" link. That's a cool shot of that bee hive. I wonder what cherry blossom honey tastes like?

[kebee]

 40,000 hives on a roof of the usda building, I don't believe, maybe 4,000 or 400.

Ken

[apisbees]

I like the "bee cam" link. That's a cool shot of that bee hive. I wonder what cherry blossom honey tastes like?

It tastes like dandelion as the bees work them in the morning and the tree bloom in the afternoon. The dandelion taste is stronger and over powers the tree blossoms.

[Beeboy]

40,000 hives on a roof of the usda building, I don't believe, maybe 4,000 or 400.

Ken

I was thinking the same thing.


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[LazyBkpr]

Seeking 71 million to do something thats already been done, or at least VERY well started.. You suppose Mrs. Spivak asked for 71 million?  Or ANY of the other folks who have developed resistant bees? There ARE survivors out there being proliferated, there are developed strains of resistant bees. Why do we need to spend another 71 million to do whats already been done?

   I only see this costing more money and producing nothing.  WHY go to the trouble and expense when 40 to 50% of beekeepers continue to buy generic non resistant bees?   If they had said 71 million to continue development of started strains, I would be less upset about it. If that 71 million went to almost ANY other group, I would be hopeful of the results..  as it stands, it will take our govt 69 million to research the subject and come up with a plan.  A plan thats already been drawn up and executed.  THEN we will hear about how it WOULD have worked if they could have gotten more funding...
    Sorry... I don't like being pessimistic, but What little faith I had in the govt faded 30 years ago, and has yet to be restored.

[Beeboy]

Seeking 71 million to do something thats already been done, or at least VERY well started.. You suppose Mrs. Spivak asked for 71 million?  Or ANY of the other folks who have developed resistant bees? There ARE survivors out there being proliferated, there are developed strains of resistant bees. Why do we need to spend another 71 million to do whats already been done?

   I only see this costing more money and producing nothing.  WHY go to the trouble and expense when 40 to 50% of beekeepers continue to buy generic non resistant bees?   If they had said 71 million to continue development of started strains, I would be less upset about it. If that 71 million went to almost ANY other group, I would be hopeful of the results..  as it stands, it will take our govt 69 million to research the subject and come up with a plan.  A plan thats already been drawn up and executed.  THEN we will hear about how it WOULD have worked if they could have gotten more funding...
    Sorry... I don't like being pessimistic, but What little faith I had in the govt faded 30 years ago, and has yet to be restored.

Yes, it is the government. A poorly run one at that.

[Slowmodem]

Speaking of super bee my bro drove one way to fast back in the 60's & 70's.

I had chargers and road runners.   

[pistolpete]

I'm not even American and that story makes me mad.  100% with Scott on that one.   If they simply gave 1 million dollars to every university department already working on the project, they'd get more results and save about 50 million dollars at the same time.

I think the author meant 40 000 bees (in one hive)  rather than 40 000 bee hives.

[alfredw]

How about the USDA VSH Queens. These are bees with Varroa sensitive Hygenic behavior that the USDA is making available for introduction into various climate zones. This year, in Colorado at least, they are conducting tesst on survivability of open mated hybrids of the VSH trait queens to see how they perform on mite resistance and hygienic behavior as well as climate survival. Many local beekeepers are getting involved by hosting colonies queened with these girls and recording observations of their performance.

Alfred

[LazyBkpr]

How about the USDA VSH Queens. These are bees with Varroa sensitive Hygenic behavior that the USDA is making available for introduction into various climate zones. This year, in Colorado at least, they are conducting tesst on survivability of open mated hybrids of the VSH trait queens to see how they perform on mite resistance and hygienic behavior as well as climate survival. Many local beekeepers are getting involved by hosting colonies queened with these girls and recording observations of their performance.

Alfred

   That sounds more like something I could have hope for Alfred. An already in progress improvement and testing in the real world..
   

[apisbees]

I'm in agreement with Scott on this one also. A way to late and grossly over budget. There are already a dozen projects under way that have had some of the most brilliant scientists, researchers, and beekeepers, working on this for the last 20 years. They have sequenced the bees Genome so they can read the protein for the genetic markers for hygienic behavior. Long survivor mite resistance bee stock has been imported from Russia to add to the genetic stock available.
It is much to late for them to get in the game now. They are riding on the media hype that has been reported over the last few years and are trying to cash in on it.

[Slowmodem]

If they'd give me a few, I'd try them out.

[Ray]

They declared war on poverty......
They declared war on drugs.....
If they would just declare war on the honey bee 

[tecumseh]

It seems some here > know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing!  I would suspect that the million dollar number will get spread around and there will be a lot of bee labs including Marla Spivak's lab (seems she is planning on getting on getting a new honey house.....don't know where that money came from?) that will receive funding.

and thank you Alfred for pointing out at least one of the more noticeable benefits of government financed research.

[LazyBkpr]

From what I read the money is not going to be spread around. If I thought even half of that money was going to people who would use it to further the research I wouldnt be bugged by it nearly as much.  IF the money does get spread around, will enough of it go to any one place to make a difference?  Show me that it will be spread out, to whom, and how much and I might be quite a lot less pessimistic!! 

[tecumseh]

well..... you can almost be assured of failure if you simply spend insufficient funds to get the job done.  it is really amazing how that 'fact of life' works in so many places... government, big business or any personal enterprise.   the larger problem in regards to this money is that once it is funneled into the university system about 50% will be immediately lopped off to pay for administration.... those raised wood paneled offices and the two martini lunch and all expense paid working vacations to europe for the administrators and their family do not come without a price tag attached.  and of course this 'larger problem' is really about you the tax payer and your unwillingness to pay for public education and basic research.  a total failure in society's capacity to look past some small personal tax paid to the larger good promoted by the use of these funds.

and to put a different spin on this number.... here at Texas A&M where I am currently employed at the bee lab (very part time and very poor paying...  so if you are looking for a really bad employment opportunity I am always looking for someone to replace my efforts there) the administration (largely appointed political types and all C- students just like the governor that appointed them) now has the large idea that to make this cow college a world class institution all you need do is build a bigger football stadium and have a winning football team.  currently according to my sources thru the civil engineering program the cost of 'renovating' the old stadium will be about $1 Billion dollars.  a large public relation campaign is now going strong to convince students and tax payers that this added cost (notice I have not included either operational cost or upkeep cost to the above figure) will not be reflected in the student's fees at the university... year right!  or as we some times say in Texas.... don't go peeing in my boot and then try to convince me it is raining. 

[Beeboy]

well..... you can almost be assured of failure if you simply spend insufficient funds to get the job done.  it is really amazing how that 'fact of life' works in so many places... government, big business or any personal enterprise.   the larger problem in regards to this money is that once it is funneled into the university system about 50% will be immediately lopped off to pay for administration.... those raised wood paneled offices and the two martini lunch and all expense paid working vacations to europe for the administrators and their family do not come without a price tag attached.  and of course this 'larger problem' is really about you the tax payer and your unwillingness to pay for public education and basic research.  a total failure in society's capacity to look past some small personal tax paid to the larger good promoted by the use of these funds.

and to put a different spin on this number.... here at Texas A&M where I am currently employed at the bee lab (very part time and very poor paying...  so if you are looking for a really bad employment opportunity I am always looking for someone to replace my efforts there) the administration (largely appointed political types and all C- students just like the governor that appointed them) now has the large idea that to make this cow college a world class institution all you need do is build a bigger football stadium and have a winning football team.  currently according to my sources thru the civil engineering program the cost of 'renovating' the old stadium will be about $1 Billion dollars.  a large public relation campaign is now going strong to convince students and tax payers that this added cost (notice I have not included either operational cost or upkeep cost to the above figure) will not be reflected in the student's fees at the university... year right!  or as we some times say in Texas.... don't go peeing in my boot and then try to convince me it is raining.

  Yeah, we all know that the government has no raised wood paneled offices, or take expensive lunches, or go on expensive vacations several times a year. Nope. Never been done. Not by this administration or any before it. Not even a smidgen of waste in our government!

[CpnObvious]

  Yeah, we all know that the government has no raised wood paneled offices, or take expensive lunches, or go on expensive vacations several times a year. Nope. Never been done. Not by this administration or any before it. Not even a smidgen of waste in our government!
[/quote]

You forgot about the $350 haircut that's never needed prior to such trips... You know, the one I pay $15 (including the $5 tip) at my barber for.