>On Mon, 19 Feb 1996, Vince Coppola wrote:
 
>
>Last year I was discussing this with someone at Cornell whos expertise is
>host/parisite relationships. He said this is typical when a parisite
>moves onto a new host specie. The new host has not devoloped mechanisims
>to combat the new problem and there are many fatalities. Natural selection
>then begins in two directions. Obviously the most suseptable hosts are
>selected out. Also, the most virulent parisites are selected out because
>they kill their host and therefore themselves. So in time we end up with
>more resistant hosts and less virulent parisites. Eventually a balance
>is reached and they can live together.>
>
 
The problem is that we interfere greatly with this natural process by
treating our colonies!  We cannot find out the resistant colonies and we
prevent the nastier varroas from committing suicide.  Worst, the varroas
that survive the treatments are the most resistant to the pesticides!
 
Jean-Pierre Chapleau
eleveur de reines / queen breeder
1282, rang 8, Saint-Adrien de Ham, Quebec, Canada, J0A 1C0
tel./phone (819) 828-3396; fax (819) 828-0357
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