Hello all:
 
I have been watching this varroa thread for some time.  I read Roys
post this morning and got to thinking.  Roy is correct we have in the
list an ideal vehicle to use for collecting information and helping each
other to find the solution to a common problem VARROA.  The solution will
not be fast in comming, and will have many band-aid fixes (i.e. Apistan)
on the way.
 
I have also seen a number of people put in their $.02 and most of my
questions and conclusions stem from these items.  I am going to setup a
folder in my e-mail just for this thread (I hope it goes), because if
enough of us gather enough ideas and observations in one place someone
(from within this list or without) may make a conclusion which leads
to a solution for VARROA.
 
Now for my $.02 for today.  Someone in a post a while back said that VARROA
was a paracite.  They also said that it killed its host (apis m.) and this
is not the way for VARROA to best survive as a paracite.  I think in Asia
where VARROA came from it is a paracite.  Apis c. is mite resistant.  Also
I would believe that there are in Asia some conditions and natural agents
which keep VARROA in check.  Anywhere there are apis c. VARROA is a paracite.
Where there are apis M. it is a predator, because it kills its host.
 
In the western world VARROA has moved so fast because it has no natural
enemies.  I wonder what keeps VARROA in check in Asia? It would seem that if
we knew what controlled VARROA in Asia we would be better off.   Is there
anyone out there who might be closer to this info. than we are? Maby the
Aussies or the New Zelanders might have a line. I have heard from a lot of
places but not much from Natal and South Africa.  What is VARROA doing down
there?
 
Thank you
 
Jeffrey