Hello Bob from down under:

>Down Under, we do a lot of talking about keeping varroa out of the country.

If you look at past beekeeping history once varroa is found then you move to
the next step which is "Living with varroa".

>Some say that varroa has a positive side to it.

There is no positive to varrao from where I sit.


>When varroa spreads across the country, feral hives and less well managed
>hobby hives,  will be permanently destroyed, and these 'free pollinators'
>will no longer serve the orchardists.

I would rather have the hobby and feral hives. Varroa will remove most of
both these things but there loss did not impact us a lot. In fact many said
when the above were gone massive honey crops would be had. Did not happen.
Honey crops remained basically the same.

>Are all ferals doomed?

Certainly not all but the USDA-ARS said for many years 90% of ferals were
lost to mites from their observations and studies.

>Are pollination services in greater demand?

pollination services were in demand due to hives lost to mites and a huge
number of beeks which went bankrupt or in other words did not have or could
not borrow the money needed to replace losses so sold out.

U.S. honey prices when  varroa arrived was around .35-.40 cents a pound and
had been for a few years.
Both honey prices and pollination fees had been depressed for quite awhile.

 Also it was hard for U.S. beeks to even find buyers at those prices as
China was dumping honey on the U.S. market. Your honey prices are high and
are expected to stay high which should help you keep your heads above water
when varroa arrives.

What I am about to say might create a stir on BEE-L but will say it. All
known mites of mellifera can be controlled. Apis cerana other than a
possible carrier of these mites is not a problem for beeks as the two will
not cross.

Researchers have in my opinion a hard time with reality

commercial beeks are forced to live with reality

Many times we have to say to researchers to cut to the bottom line so we can
come up with a plan of action as you are more interested in documenting a
problem than coming up with a plan of action in our opinions.

Sure its best you do not get new mites or cerana but certainly not the end
of Australian beekeeping. Varroa will require changes in management. With
varroa its best to be the first to find varroa in your bees and start
"living with varroa" rather than go out one day and find half your hives
dead and the other half dying from varroa and PMS.( which is the way many
beeks which considered their selves to be expert beeks learned the lesson of
varroa")

it is what it is.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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