Multi-State Field Trials of ARS Russian Honey Bees
1. Responses to Varroa destructor 1999, 2000

Field trials of Russian honey bees (ARS Primorsky stock) propagated as queen lines from queens imported from the far-eastern province of Primorsky were conducted in 1999 and 2000 in Iowa, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Varroa destructor populations in Primorsky colonies grew more slowly and hence, had fewer numbers than they did in domestic colonies. Colonies of six Primorsky queen-lines evaluated in 1999 averaged about half the number of mites found in domestic control colonies. In 2000, colonies of 10 Primorsky queen lines in Louisiana supported an average V destructor population growth of 2.5 fold increase across 91 days, far less than the 17.3 fold increase predicted from growth models derived for domestic colonies. Most colonies of the same 10 Primorsky queen-lines in Iowa and Mississippi had no (150 colonies) to very few (48 colonies) detectable V destructor three months after being inoculated with about 100 mites. Hence, in all trials, ARS Primorsky honey bees showed strong resistance to V. destructor. Variance within and between queen lines indicates good potential to further increase this resistance through selective breeding.

Fig.1 -  The average number of adult V. destructor mites in Primorsky (Blue) and domestic (White) honey bee colonies at 4 examinations separated by 34 day intervals in three states in 1999.  i, an inoculation of about 100 mites was given to colonies in Louisiana and Mississippi at the time indicated.

Fig. 2 - The average mite population growth (MPG) expressed as fold increase in V. destructor mite populations in Primorsky (Blue) and domestic (White) honey bee colonies at 4 examinations separated by 34 day intervals in three states in 1999.  Period 1 (not shown) provided baseline data.

Fig. 3 - (a) The average mite population growth (MPG) expressed as fold increase in V. destructor mite populations in six Primorsky queen lines and domestic control colonies, and (b) these values expressed as a percentage of the increase in V. destructor mite populations in domestic control colonies for trials conducted in 1999.  B = blue, W = white, P = purple, 
G = green, Y = yellow, R = red.

Fig. 4 - (a) The average mite population growth (MPG) expressed as fold increase in V. destructor mite populations in ten Primorsky queen lines and expected MPG for domestic colonies, and (b) these values expressed as a percentage of the expected increase in V. destructor mite populations in domestic colonies for trials conducted in Louisiana in 2000.  B = blue,  G = green, O= orange, P = purple, R = red, S = silver, T = tan, W = white, Y = yellow.

Reference to full article:

T. E. RINDERER, L. I. DE GUZMAN, G. T.  DELATTE, J. A. STELZER, J. L. WILLIAMS, L. D. BEAMAN, V. KUZNETSOV, M. BIGALK, S. J. BERNARD and H. TUBBS. 2001. Multi-State Field Trials of ARS Russian Honey Bees:  1.  Responses to Varroa destructor 1999, 2000.  American Bee Journal 141:658-661