Welcome to the webpage of Project „Fort Knox”
“Fort Knox” is an independent project designed to help beekeepers create apiaries of bees that can resist diseases and pests, such as the mite Varroa destructor. The project is run by amateur beekeepers.
Currently diseases decimate our apiaries; beekeepers are encouraged to use toxic chemical substances and biocidals, which are not neutral to the bees or beekeepers. If used improperly they may contaminate bee products such as honey or bee bread, but if one tries to withdraw them from an apiary it may cause the death of bees.
In response to those problems Project “Fort Knox” was founded. Briefly it’s about giving each other guarantees of rebuilding the apiaries after losses by freely sharing surviving resistant genetics between members. The Project supports genetic diversity of locally adapted resistant bees, and their environment.
“Fort Knox” colonies are not treated with any chemical substances (including so called “natural” substances) and we do not practice any management methods of reducing the population of pests. We leave the “fight” for health to the bees, because we believe that they know best how to take care for themselves. We use only natural selection.
In the long run the rules of evolution and natural selection ensure:
- the best adaptation to local environmental conditions;
- selecting for the whole bee environment, including all the hive microflora;
- balancing insects with their pests and allowing development of natural defense mechanisms;
- living environment clean of toxins;
- preserving natural life cycle;
- the quickest and best development of adaptation to local dangers – including pathogens and pests;
- the most complex and complete selection of all the traits that bees need to survive without constant “care” from beekeepers;
- preserving all the natural pressures, that lead to population resistance;
- selection of pests which do not destroy their hosts.
We invite you to get to know our Project and to cooperate with us. We can do more if we work together!