I don't know anyone in the UK who has significant problems with trachael
mites.  That's not to say that they don't occur here, just that they
don't cause the difficulties experienced in N. America.  I believe it's
the same throughout Europe too.  However, they are supposed to have been
the cause of the Isle of Wight disease which devastated British
beekeeping at the beginning of the 20th century.
 
Ah, you say.  British bees must have evolved resistance to the mites.
I believe some bees were imported to the US as breeding stock, hoping
this was true but it wasn't.  They were found to be just as susceptible
as any other bees.  It's a mystery.  I suppose it could be our mites
that have evolved.  It's often not in the best interests of parasites to
have too deadly an effect on their hosts.
 
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Malcolm Roe                                Phone  :  +44 1442 345104
Crosfield Electronics Ltd                  Fax    :  +44 1442 343000
Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP2 7RH, UK        E-mail :  [log in to unmask]
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