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> > Imagine being covered with ticks


I've been really surprised a couple of times this past year when I've heard
some "natural beekeeping" presenter saying how seeing varroa in their hives
was a good thing!

I can't imagine anyone who kept bees prior to varroa saying such a thing.
 The European honey bee is in evolutionary flux as it comes to term with
this novel parasite, and is suffering greatly in the process.  Compared to
its cousin, Apis ceranae, our bee barely recognizes varroa as a threat, and
the parasite runs freely in the hive.

I'm heartened that we are finally seeing Apis mellifera making progress in
learning to fight back, but the species still has a long way to go, even in
our most resistant stocks--which still allow varroa to reach levels that
Apis cerana would not tolerate.

I feel really sorry for our bees, to see them suffer so--it's not their
fault that humans brought them this new parasite.

Before this revs up kneejerk responses about us needing to stop all mite
treatments or other bee husbandry, I'm well aware of the situation and
ramifications.  I'm just saying that there is nothing nice about having
parasites sucking the blood out of you.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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