Hi All
 
As regards the query as to when Varroa crossed the species barrier I
think it has something to do with this:
 
A.cerana has a weak guarding system. Hence A.mellifera tends to rob
A.cerana colonies early in the morning. The bees would crawl into the
hives over the bottom boards. A.cerana has very bad hive hygene,
chewing combs and letting the toolings drop to the floor where they
accumulate. Hence one would theorize that much of varroa infection
naturally with cerana would probably be from mites crawling onto bees
after dropping down into this muck.
 
A.cerana has actually been quite badly damaged by the fact that
natural hives are raided by A.mel hives.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
---
Garth Cambray       Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
6139
Eastern Cape
South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
 
On holiday for a few months     Rhodes University
Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day!
Interests: Fliis and bees
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way
reflect those of Rhodes University.