Mite-Resistant Packaged Bees & Reservations
Real Mite Resistance.
Commercial Quality Genetics.
Kinni Bees is moving to USDA-derived Pol-Line 2.2 bees. Selected for Varroa Sensitive Hygiene while keeping the strong colonies, honey production, and workable temperament you expect from quality lines like Latshaw.
What Is Mite Resistance — And Why It Matters Now
Varroa destructor is the single biggest threat to managed honey bee colonies worldwide. These mites feed on developing and adult bees while vectoring deadly viruses (especially deformed wing virus). Left unchecked, they collapse colonies.
How Resistance Works
Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) is the primary mechanism in Pol-Line bees. Workers detect mite-infested pupae and remove them before the mites can finish reproducing. This breaks the mite’s life cycle inside the colony rather than relying solely on chemical knockdowns.Additional traits include higher rates of mite non-reproduction and lower overall mite population growth.
Why It’s Critical Moving Forward
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Chemical treatments (including amitraz) are losing efficacy as mites develop resistance.
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Repeated treatments add cost, labor, residues, and select for harder-to-kill mites.
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High mite loads drive virus transmission that kills colonies even when mite numbers are later reduced.
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The only sustainable long-term path is bees that suppress mites themselves.
Bottom line:
Standard commercial genetics were largely selected for production and temperament under chemical mite control. As treatments become less reliable, those same genetics leave beekeepers with higher losses and more interventions. Resistance genetics change the trajectory. Perfect genetics for the MN, WI, MI, IL, and IA Winters and Summers.
What Is Pol-Line 2.2?
Pol-Line was developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service Honey Bee Breeding Lab in Baton Rouge. Researchers started with pure VSH stock, then outcrossed it to commercial bees and rigorously selected the resulting colonies for:
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Low end-of-season mite levels
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Strong colony populations suitable for pollination and honey production
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Good temperament and workability
The result is a stock that retains meaningful mite resistance while performing like commercial bees. Pol-Line 2.2 refers to the commercial refinement of this approach (using selection protocols similar to the original USDA program) that continues emphasizing VSH alongside production traits.
Published Performance Data
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Large-scale migratory trials showed Pol-Line colonies with markedly lower Varroa levels and roughly twice the winter survival of standard commercial Italian stock.
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In one comparison, untreated Pol-Line colonies survived winter at ~62% vs ~3% for untreated commercial colonies. Even with treatments, Pol-Line still outperformed.
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Honey production and adult population sizes among surviving colonies were comparable to commercial stock.
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Lower titers of key Varroa-associated viruses (DWV-A, DWV-B, CBPV).
Sources include O’Shea-Wheller et al. (2022, Scientific Reports) and earlier USDA selection work. Resistance is not absolute immunity — monitoring and integrated pest management remain important.
Importantly, these bees were selected in real commercial environments (including migratory operations) so the resistance does not come at the expense of the traits that make a colony useful to a beekeeper.
How These Genetics Help Your Yard — And the Local Pool
In Your Yard
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Slower mite growth: Colonies that actively remove infested brood keep populations lower through the season.
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Better overwintering: Lower mite and virus pressure going into winter, plus demonstrated strong survival in northern conditions (including Dakota trials). Relevant for Wisconsin and Upper Midwest winters.
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Potentially fewer treatments: Many beekeepers using similar stock reduce treatment frequency while still monitoring. You decide based on your mite counts.
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Commercial performance: Selected for build-up, honey, and gentleness — the same priorities that made quality lines like Latshaw successful.
For the Local Genetic Pool
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Every queen you introduce puts VSH-influenced drones into the local mating environment.
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Over seasons, those drones increase the frequency of resistance alleles in the regional population.
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This raises the baseline for everyone — including feral and other managed colonies that mate with your drones.
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Local adaptation continues: bees raised and mated in Wisconsin conditions further tune the genetics to cold winters and regional forage.
Ready for Bees Built for the Next Decade?
Kinni Bees is offering Pol-Line 2.2 genetics for 2027. Same focus on quality and performance you know from our previous Latshaw-based stock — now with documented mite resistance selection.
Limited quantities. Wisconsin-adapted stock. Questions about nucs, packages, or queens? Reach out.
What Our Customers are Saying
We sell better bees than the "big guys" do. Our bees are gentle and varroa resistant.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Anne M.
This is the first year we have purchased bees from Kinnickinnic and couldnt be happier .The pick up process was so easy. We are amazed at how calm the bees are and so easy to work with. Bees are doing great and we just added our second box.
Google Review- Jun. 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Rebecca W.
I somehow missed my emails that the bees were ready, after getting in contact with them they hand delivered them to my house, unnecessary but super appreciated, I would have gone to get them!! After realizing how well mannered the bees are i'm replacing all my queens and empty hives with these bees. Best contact method would bee through fb, they respond quickly to all my questions and offer great suggestions. My new bee supplier from now on!!
Google Review- July 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Dick M.
We purchased 10 3# packages from Kinni Bees this year. They are strong healthy bees reasonably priced, and Mike is great to work with.
Google Review- May 2023
Our Bees are GREAT!
Our Bee packages:
Bee Genetics- We run a treatment-free business and require all our bees are bred for mite-resistant genetics. We do this off of amazing queens, some lasting into year 5! All are cross-bred between Carniolan and Italian drones.
Characteristics- Not all packages and NUCs can be predictable. However, most of our bees are incredibly gentle, quick to build up the nest, and are good honey producers. Whether you are treatment-free or not, these bees will make you a more successful beekeeper.
