Hello George,
 
>After 65 years of beekeeping, treating for Varroa is another treatment, BUT
>NOT OPTIONAL NOW.  It is kind of like tying your shoes.
>Good Luck!
>
 
You are a man of experiment. And it's true, if one does not treat: there is
risk of died of the colony. But Brother Adam said: "Let the bees tell you
(Lass die Biene es dir sagen! Bordesholm, 1989)". When one treats, for
Varroa or for the T-mite, one delays the appearance of bees tolerant or
resistant to these mites!
 
It seems significant to me, now that we have a bee-keeping with new
contingencies, to completely re-examine our way of making and in
particular, our way of fighting against these miseries.
 
Some beekeeping centers of this continent (Denmark, Holland, Sweden,
Belgium) recommend NOT to treat, but NOT NOTHING TO MAKE.
 
1/
To carefully count dead Varroa of natural death each day or only a day each
week (24 hours). To carefully check the state of the bees and brood: the
viral attacks are mortals for the colonies. The bees which will be tolerant
in Varroa must be resistant to the viruses!
 
2/
To TREAT AND REPLACE queens from each colony while (before) it's collapsing.
 
3/
To multiply the colonies which are resistant and are maintained WITHOUT
treating during more than 4 or 5 years.
 
I said: a new way of seeing the bee-keeping!
 
Jean-Marie
Owner of the french speaking bees list "Abeilles"