Stan Standler worries about varroatosis in non apis mellifera: quite rightly!
 
From a Dutch newspaper I remember a report of a bumblebee-nest with varroa
mites.
 
The problem is: in which way can non apis mellifera be infected by varroa
mites? One possibility might be that robber (bumble) bees can bring OUT mites
after 'visiting' a heavily infected honeybee colony. I don't think there are
honeybees robbering bumblebee-nests.
 
What about the role of alarmpheromones (and 1-octanol as most repellant
substance)? A research from Germany indicates that varroa mites leave a
honeybee when stung or contaminated with alarm-pheromones.
 
Another question: do bumblebees really suffer from varroatosis; how long is
the duration of the capped brood stage; do they have a cleaning-behaviour to
cope with the mites, like apis cerana?
 
Maybe there are some answers
 
regards
 
francois
 
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