On Mon, 12 Feb 1996, Roy Nettlebeck wrote:
 
>  Heiio People, I was in my home bee yard today. It was full of sun and
> about 60 F. I found another 9 dead colonys. I noticed  that the
> conditions in the hives were different. All had honey 40 to 60 lbs each.
> Some had split clusters. I went in the house and started to look up what
> I could find in  Honey Bee Pathology  1991  Bailey and Ball. I know by
> now we must have more information on what virus are being carried by the
> mites. I would like to know if there any papers that I could get and
> read. This mite problem is not a lone wolf. Since checking out Bailey and
> Balls book , I found one out of 16 viruses that followed one hive almost
> every step of the way.  I will see if I can get it tied down and send
> some samples over to U of Wa to be checked.
>  On the plus side , my other bees are doing great. I have brood  and
> larva and eggs.
>  Thank You
>  Roy
 
I know that Brenda Ball, here in the UK, is researching the
relationship between bees, varroa and viruses. The last I heard
from her was that the main 'problem' virus, in the UK at least,
seems to be the normally fairly benign slow paralysis virus. It
appears that in the presence of varroa, the virus is able to
multiply to serious levels and once it has done so it seems to
reach a critical level where even destroying the varroa does
not halt the virus. The colony is liable then to succumb.
 
The current suggestion here is that varroa must be contained
in mid season if the virus is not to get out of hand around
late summer or autumn (fall).
 
The rate of increase of the virus relates to the rate of increase
of varroa, which in turn relates to the brood nest expansion
and finally to the weather. Effects may therefore vary from
climate to climate.
 
Regards,
--
Gordon Scott   [log in to unmask]   Hampshire, England.
               [log in to unmask]
               Beekeeper; Kendo 3rd Dan; Sometime sailor.
The Basingstoke Beekeeper (newsletter) [log in to unmask]