>
> >In my part of the US, swarms in fall almost always are because of varroa
> mites.  I've actually seen bees walk out of varroa infested hives.


I observed the same during the initial invasion of tracheal mites, and also
during the varroa mite invasion.  This appears to me to be a possible
defensive behavior of bees against parasites (along with supersedure of the
queen).

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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