>Nick Wallingford wrote:

>> Our Government will be faced with the decision about whether to attempt
>> eradication within the next week or so,

>Well, I guess most people have had their say by now.  If only one colony
with
>varroa survives the "eradication" of the bees, what will the authorities
and
>beekeepers do next year ??
-----------------------------------------------------------
>John F. Edwards
>Carl Hayden Bee Research Center
>Tucson, Arizona 85719


Good question. Some thoughts that come to mind:

1)Have maybe 2-5 years before getting on the chemical merry-go-round.
Knocking back the mite population by destroying the bees could result in a
lower total cost than treating every hive in the country two times a year.
When you count the cost of chemical as well as the labor involved the cost
of treatment can be rather high.

2)Keep at it. Smallpox took a few years, and a lot of work to wipe out but
the project was not dumped after the first year.