This is because drones from the hybrids carry the genetics of their mother, the breeder queen. Use of Saskatraz hybrid stock in your apiaries should provide drone populations which will increase the frequency of alleles for honey production and varroa tolerance, as well as other economic traits. Attention to fall stores for wintering and in the spring is necessary. This diversity results in increased vigor, and analyses of hybrid queens in Canada is showing fast spring build up and increases in honey production. These queens produce colonies with genetically diverse workers. Saskatraz hybrids are being produced in Northern California using virgin queens from diverse families of Saskatraz breeder queens and open mating them with unrelated drone populations in the Orland area. Some miticide treatments may also result in increased virus infections, particularly in varroa susceptible phenotypes. We found strong evidence of positive selection acting on genes and regulatory sequences, and we discovered that mutations in worker-biased proteins tend to have greater fitness effects than mutations in queen-biased proteins. However, we have also noted that treatment with some synthetic miticides, although initially effective in lowering phoretic varroa infestations, may negatively affect the colonies ability to cope with subsequent mite infestations. We produced a map of positive selection for the honey bee through analysis of 40 individual genomes. This looks to be promising and new lines are currently being evaluated. Character, on the other hand, takes longer to discern but is easier to change. While personality is easier to spot, it’s largely static and slow to evolve. In the last 3 or 4 years we have crossed high VSH lines with our naturally selected colonies to try and increase stability of the varroa tolerant trait. It includes traits that reveal themselves only in specificand often uncommoncircumstances, traits like honesty, virtue, and kindliness. We have found varroa tolerance is not a stable trait, with considerable variability in the daughters of selected breeder queen’s. The Saskatraz breeding program uses recurrent natural selection to select for varroa tolerance in productive colonies with good economic traits.
A detailed review of the Saskatraz project (established 2005) including breeding methods, published research articles ,power point presentations and information on individual breeding families, including Saskatraz hybrids can be found at Saskatraz breeder queens are selected for honey production, wintering ability, temperament, tracheal mite resistance, varroa tolerance / resistance and brood diseases. Saskatraz hybrids are produced in Northern California (Orland area) exclusively by Olivarez Honey Bees using Saskatraz breeder queens constructed in Saskatchewan, Canada by Meadow Ridge Enterprises (Breeder and CEO, Albert J.
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