Peter L. Borst <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>* I don't think Tom or anyone pointed to "non-virulent mites" as the
>"sole cause for the feral honeybee survival in the Arnot forest".

Hello Peter,

It sure sounds like Seeley is proposing this in his abstract with no 
mention of any other potential factor.

“Evidently, the stable bee-mite relationship in the Arnot Forest reflects 
adaptations for parasite (mite) avirulence, not host (bee) resistance.”

And also sounds like Jim Fischer is supporting Tom's mite avirulence as 
the cause with no mention of other potential factor in a letter posted to 
bee-L 

Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 09:25:58 -0400 
Subject: Re: CCD in Ferals? swarm identification 

“The survival of the "feral colonies" was not due to any unique trait of 
the bees, but instead, due to traits in the local population of the 
>>>VARROA mites<<<.”

Best Wishes,     

Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA   
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries' 
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles
FeralBeeProject.com

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