>There is no such reports about varroa. The country has an excellent
>surveillance system. They have been preparing at various levels including
>government and industry for the arrival for mites.

Beekeeping history on varroa always seems to be the same (Hawaii for
example) .
Excellent checking yet when discovered through a huge die off (Hawaii) the
researchers always seem the find the infestation actually started several
years before.

50% of hives usually are lost when varroa is seen at late stage. The bees do
adjust with beekeeper treatments but the number of hives in Australia which
have never saw a mite could cause a huge die off.

Dead bees in front of the hives certainly does not fit but PMS and nosema
problems make matters worse.

Maybe if Australia finds varroa early and acts fast perhaps Australia will
be the first place on the planet to not see huge losses when varroa first
arrives.

If a bet was to be made I would bet money on varroa. I am not saying varroa
has been found only commenting on the way varroa has kicked beekeepers butts
whenever varroa has infested bees for the first time.

Depending on the place varroa originated from with a new infestation the
varroa *could* be resistant to a couple of common treatments. many of us
suspected what happened in Hawaii.

Waste a treatment an ineffective treatment on varroa and you might be out of 
business.

A very old varroa saying (author unknown):

"There are two kinds of beekeepers. Those with varroa in their hives and 
those waiting to get varroa in their hives"

bob

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm