>... it would be wrong to call bees "varroa resistant" simply because the
mites fail to thrive.

The common definition of 'resistance' in host-parasite interactions is as
typically defined similarly to Raberg et al who describe it as* '... the
ability of a host to limit parasite burden...' *


*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2666700/
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2666700/>*

In connection to honey bees and varroa mites, we understand that this is
manifest by lower mite population growth regardless of mechanism. Thus,
mite non-reproduction would be considered a resistance mechanism.

> This study clearly distinguishes that adult bee behaviors are not
involved in the expression of the SMR phenotype in these naturally adapted
mite-resistant honey bee populations.

This is in-fact the important takeaway from this study - it joins a growing
body of research that suggests that in at least some populations, there are
brood effects which are contributing to lower mite population growth that
do not depend upon an adult hygiene function to be efficacious.

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