Hello Trevor & All,
Trevor said:
We are lucky not have varroa mites but I have been studying them for years
in the event that they do arrive.

I studied the varroa mite years before we got varroa. Smart move!

Trevor said:
The above statement seems to suggest that the mite will enter any point of
the larval development i.e. say day 3.I have been lead to believe that the
varroa mite entered the cell just before it was capped.  The mite going down
and burying itself in the brood food at the bottom of the cell.

Dr. Pedro has thrown his hypothesis into the mix as did Aaron and James.
Each could be correct but the most accepted hypothesis by recearchers is the
one you present that the varroa slips in and hides in the brood food prior
to capping.

Trevor said:
If the latter is the case, then it does not matter how many times the larvae
is feed, be it worker or drone.  The point of entry is at the last stage.

If the latter is the case then you would be correct but is the latter
*always the case* and what is the percent of time. Further research need to
be done.


Trevor asks:
Another point is does the mite have to come from a feeder to enter the cell?
Cannot it enter under its own power as it is crawling around the comb?

I am sure both of the above happen.

 I know of no research which has observed and could give percentages.

My guess would be the varroa disengages from a bee which is in the cell and
drops into the brood food a greater percent of the time than crawls in by
itself.

My observation hive observations tell me that worker bees are constantly
looking in cells. Research from years ago said the worker bee  or bees spend
around 45 minutes cleaning a cell before the queen lays an egg. I do not
know the amount of times a nurse bee looks in a cell at larva but I imagine
the number of time per 24 hour period would be a huge number. Perhaps
another BEE-L person has heard a figure?

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
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