re: epidemiology of varroa, there's this:

> We show how a range of spatial epidemiological analyses might be used during exotic disease responses. Descriptive spatial analyses of the delimiting survey results allowed the geographical extent of Varroa in the North Island to be clearly communicated to industry stake holders and decision makers. 

> On 11 April 2000, V. destructor was detected in a number of bee hives in a small apiary in Auckland, in the upper North Island of New Zealand. Although New Zealand prohibited the import of live honey bees since 1960, a measure to reduce the risk of introduction of exotic bee diseases, a 7-week survey of apiaries in the upper North Island identified that approximately 10% were infested with Varroa, with 22% infested in the greater Auckland area 

> In July 2000, based on technical advise provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the decision not to attempt to eradicate Varroa from the North Island was made by New Zealand government (MAF, 2000b). Reasons for this decision included lack of certainty in: (1) the sensitivity of the Apistan test procedure to detect infested apiaries; (2) the ability to detect infested apiaries before local spread had occurred; (3) the ability to successfully eradicate the disease in the feral bee population. Also, important to this decision was uncertainty concerning how much spread had occurred via beekeeper-assisted movements and the ability to promptly identify secondary foci of infestation established by such movements. 

Stevenson, M. A., Benard, H., Bolger, P., & Morris, R. S. (2005). Spatial epidemiology of the Asian honey bee mite (Varroa destructor) in the North Island of New Zealand. Preventive veterinary medicine, 71(3-4), 241-252.

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