Even the research found virus particles were concentrated in the gut of the mite, and could not be passed back to the mouthparts because of a membrane in the throat, it was also said, suggesting that the mite  has merely eaten it from the bodies of bees already infected'. This would then put it in the mouth parts by way of actually eating and while eating puncturing the soft exoskelton or thin membrains of the soft tissue between the tergits, for vectoring in the problem.

And to again note what Barry Donovan brought up on mites prior and prior seeings in old research papers. Along with the three species then seen by point of infestation broken out so far back then, besides the nosema was also DWV too! So this is not new history being made, but old being repeated even in sampling done by USDA labs back in 1960 era, prior to mites being formally announced and recognized as a problem. But they were more in check then too, please note!!!  Seems to me the only thing physically changed in a hive to set things off, was another major upsizing of comb size, this time to 5.4mm sizing that shortly followed to hit the market, and then problems phased in as the size  caught on, and more used and enough volume was made in the field in all states, to then really get things moving. But just my take on things.


Dee A. Lusby






      

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