Beekeeper Cory Stevens highlights the transition from a struggling hobbyist to a successful commercial queen breeder by prioritizing host resistance over chemical reliance. His approach emphasizes VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygiene) and SMR (Suppressed Mite Reproduction), biological traits that allow honey bees to naturally manage mite populations. The text compares the Harbo assay, a traditional method involving the manual inspection of brood, with the newer UBeeO test, which uses a specialized pheromone to trigger a rapid hygienic response. While the Harbo assay is inexpensive yet labor-intensive, UBeeO offers a faster, more scalable alternative for identifying superior breeding stock. Stevens notes a significant overlap between high VSH scores and UBeeO performance, suggesting that these tools can revolutionize the industry. Ultimately, he encourages beekeepers to select for commercial productivity alongside disease resistance to create self-sustaining, resilient apiaries.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi5Tf8Qzd94