Adrian Wenner suggests that an alternative to honey bees becoming
resistant to mite parasitism would be a mite that is sublethal to bees
(at least to a colony of bees).  How would this work?  It seems to me
that at least two alternatives might be possible:

1) The mites would restrict their activity to drones, and not enter
worker cells at all.  This would result in the parasitized colony
succeeding very well - but what of future generations?  It would be
unlikely that the mites would attack only the drones least suitable for
genetic improvement, and that in all likelihood most of the drones would
be damaged and unable or poorly able to fly.  What would the result be
for the next generation?  Would queens still be able to mate with superb
drones? Would any drones be left at all?  This alternative seems still
quite dangerous to honey bee survival.

or 2) The mites would feed on body parts less important for flying.
What do we know about the feeding habits of varroa on brood?  Do they
favor one body part over another?  Is there any data that shows what
happens to a bee after different parts have been chewed upon in the
pupal stage by mites?  It would seem a reasonable hypothesis that a
milder mite would be one that preferred to dine upon abdominal regions
rather than upon those destined to become a wing or leg.  One of the
saddest sights I've seen in the beeyard is hundreds of twisty-winged
bees crawling around in the grass, unable to fly and not allowed back in
the hive.  Maybe their sisters, also bitten by mites but in a different
place, are able to function normally.

Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA