> is it really surprising in those parts of the world where beekeepers do not have the resources to constantly intervene (either thru manipulation or 'remedies') that varroa is now less of a problem?

In most of those regions, including Texas where you hail from, the prevailing honey bee is scutellata. There are vast populations of wild honey bees where natural selection can operate. Beekeepers benefit from the large scale natural selection which weeds out susceptible bees. However, as my friend Ernesto Guzman Novoa says: these aren't the bees you're looking for.

PLB

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