Hi All
 
Mushashi you theorized on how the bees Steve saw, kept in gums
without frames may have survived the mites.
 
I have another theory. Old hives get cells which are packed with many
layers of silk and the bees from these hives are smaller than from
younger hives. The bees also would in theory hatch a bit faster due
to the smaller size. Hence the mites would have to stay on the
drones as they would not be able to complete alife cycle on the
worker brood.
 
I have come accross some hives which had been in the same spot for as
long as 30 years and have removed them and found the majority of the
hive to be a foul smelling mess with pitch black combs - in places
the bees had even chewed the combs to the base making 'foundation'
but did not appear to have drawn them out again.
 
These bees were both mean and small - the meanness may help with
keeping away raiders and 'enemy' drones with mites on. I gather mites
usually spread on drones which move from hive to hive with a mite on
their back - if the hive was so unreasonable, as small bees are
likely to be, they may have not let drones in.
 
Just an idea.
 
this would als0o explaing why the hive in ahouse mentioned earlier
was aslo alive -old hive, small cells.
 
Keep well
 
Garth
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
15 Park Road
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
6139
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
 
If you are not living on the edge you are taking up too much space!!