Hi Ed & All,

> We do need a new perspective-it seems to me that the two camps
> (chemical/non-chemical) which have provided so much interesting thought
> lately on varroa are both trying to defend the positive aspects of their
> positions but can't escape the respective (and quite real) negatives to
each
> side.
>

Could you expound on what you feel is the negative aspects of each camp?

> Mites have seen a huge population explosion it seems that nature would
find
> a way to paratisize the parasites.

Nature has already provided a a solution in some strains of apis.
Africanized honey bees exhibit resistance and so do apis cerana. The bees
that the Lusby's of Arizona are resistant too. SMR and Russian strains show
resistance. I think somewhere in these strains is the key for vorroa control
for the beekeeper and the bees we keep. If these strains are resistant we
should not need to put any substance that the bees do not already bring in
on there own.

> This might seem a bit of a stretch, but I suggest that there is a more
> gentle and compassionate perspective that could prove realistic in viewing
> varroa which could be called "compassionate destruction".

I think what I am doing by simply putting bees on a smaller brood cell size
can be called "compassionate destruction" of the varroa mite.

A few of the 25 colonies I keep are going into their third winter and the
rest going into their second winter. This spring I started the season with
15 eintered out of 18 and I added one package bee, I have increased to 25
from the 16 and bred new queens for all. According to "The varroa handbook I
should lose the bees I keep this winter or next, or lose my three year olds
this this winter and the rest next winter. Maybe if I keep my fingers
crossed they will survive.
d:~)>

Still keeping bees
with only what the bees
bring into the hive on their own.
    . ..
c(((([
Keith Malone
Chugiak, Alaska USA
Caucasian Bee Keeper
http://takeoff.to/alaskahoney

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