I was doing a bit of research for a talk I am to give on different mite
controls (Thanks for your great site Randy), and reading "The Beekeeper's
Handbook" by Diana Sammataro, I came on an interesting statement, that
application of TM-50 in the fall and spring seemed to give better results
with bee survival when mites were present.

We all know that you cannot treat a virus with an antibiotic, but... My
wife suffers from almost COPD, in that if she gets a cold it can easily
morph into bronchitis or pneumonia. Along with the standard lung meds, they
always give her an antibiotic treatment even though it is a virus. I had
the same thing happen to me with the flu.

I do know that it works with my wife and I came through the flu fine-
strictly anecdotal.

Bacteria and virus do have a link, so maybe an antibiotic has a little
effect, sort of "sub lethal".

In addition Diana noted that some bees were more susceptible than others to
virus.

Which is another thing that has been perking away, that the resistant bee
we want is not one that can handle Varroa but that has a better immune
system that can handle virus. The discussions recently of nutrition were
all based on improving bee health. A healthy bee can better handle
pathogens.

Pathogens in nature operate in cycles. They start slow but build up in the
community then kill off the weak, and have nowhere to go because the
remainder of the community are resistant or tolerant and can survive. The
cycle repeats. Maybe those "resistant" colonies in the deep woods are not
resistant or tolerant of Varroa but are Virus survivors. However, when they
are reintroduced to an apiary they are reintroduced to the virus and have
the same problems as do those who never made it to the woods. Varroa was
not the issue but virus' were.

So maybe that application of TM gives the bees a bit more immunity to the
various bugs inhabiting the Varroa. In any case, along with standard mite
treatments, I am going to give it a try this fall.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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