Finman, as an experienced beekeeper, what do you think explains the Lusby's success
I do not know who he is, and where he is. I know that there is mite resistant bees over the world. Probably he has such ones.
on small cell, There is no harm about small cells, but if you claim that you get rid off mite with mere cell, the issue is missunderstood
open mated bees, I also have open mated bees, and 90% of beekeepers has. But after insemination quality of queens jumped a big step forward.
and no sugar Also in Germany they not use sugar for winter because the price of low guality honey and sugar is so near. Nothing wrong with sugar. You are feeding it all the summer long in your pics. In our counry honey is 7€/kg and sugar 1€/kg. If I leave honey to hive, it is 50% of my years yield.
pollen substitute? I use pollen substitute because our summer is 3 moth long. I take pollen substitute
into use last year ago when I found a report from USA website . Soya and yeast is only 30% that of pollen. Test report from year 1977!
3 USA laboratory tested pollen substitues and result was that soya flour and yeast is good. Australians has tested pollen feeding also. They have plants in which pollen is not good enough for larvas. Alfa-alfa is such a plant where brood will be in bad condition after honey harvest.
Very few use pollen substitute. But with pollen feeding I can prolong my honey yield 50%. I have got very good results. It is expencive for be. Not for pleasure.
For most of beekepers it is enough just keeping bees is important. I am not going to argue with those hobbyist. If they want to work at survival level, they can do. That level gives me nothing. It is not interesting me - I am a person which become bored if nothing new is happening.
For me this a hobby and I have 15 another hobby too. It is very hard to find new and interesting for 40 years, believe me. For me, this is not religion. I don't believe in God either.
And organic beekeeping or organic gardening, that is not my area. My education is missed if I beleive all kind of antiknowledge.
I am so called "result oriented"
I am sad about shaking someone's faith. I do not want to discuss on that level. SORRY.
You cannot win stupid person with arquing" If Dee is wrong, and it isn't small cell and breeding, then what is it?
The mite resistancy is complicated system. It has been reseached 10-20 yeasr and they don't konow how it goes. And if experts do not know, it does make it possible that who ever invent a key THAT IT IS!
You can read that Canadian lost in many area half of bee 2 winter ago Also you can read that in California they have lost 50% of bees.
Don't say that someone has key to that prpoblem :D Whole Europe has tried to find key for 25 years.
I must keep a brake with these discussions. Not interesting to me.