[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> In message <[log in to unmask]>, Glyn Davies
> <[log in to unmask]> writes
> >Using drone comb to trap and reduce mites can work but obviously has to be
> >very efficienly managed or else too many drones and thousands of mites are
> >released into the hive!
> True, but it's only the timing that's crucial as I said in another post.
> Otherwise it's not difficult.
> >  But I don't like the idea because I think it will
> >be putting environmental pressure onto the mites for the selection of those
> >mites that 'prefer' worker brood.  However I don't understand the biological
> >interactions well enough to work out if that would be even more harmful to
> >beekeeping.  Can anyone offer a suggestion?
> Yes I think this selection is possible but there are some 'howevers'.
> To me the experience in Europe (that includes us BTW ;-)) shows that it
> is important that more than one control is used, partly because of this
> problem of selecting resistant or tolerant strains and partly because of
> the way we have to fit management to the bee's natural cycle. So, if we
> were to select for worker prefering mites with this one another control
> (
> it's ability to increase exponentially its population. Were it merely to
> On average in worker if I > remember rightly only one viable adult is produced, in drone its slightly more than two. So, if we selected mites that 'prefer' worker  brood far from being harmfull it might (ha ha) do us a favour.
> --
> Dave Black
> Blacks Bee Gardens,
> Guildford, GU1 4RN.  UK.
Dear fellow beekeepers and others:
More on my research findings:
There are two very important factors that influenced my thinking for
developing my line of research. 1) the very high incidence of inbreeding
of Varroa mites. 2) the active ingredient in Apistan has been in use for
a long time. Hence, I worry that these two factors may become the
biggest stumbling block that we will ever meet in our fight against
Varroa since it is very possible that Varroa might develop resistance to
flavalenate (active ingredient in Apistan). Add to that individual
modalities of application of the strips and the possibility becomes of
greater significance. As a young student in the early fifties, I
remember reading about someone having a population of flies living a in
an environment saturated with DDT dust.
    Also I am very much afraid of biological controls. We all know of
serious complications that have developed when humans have attempted to
tamper with the laws of mother nature! Beware!
    Soon, I will discuss my research work in public. In my opinion this
type of approach, in whichever form applied,  will become the route to
erradication of bee mites.
Regards.
Dr. Pedro Rodriguez
Virginia Beach, Virgina USA