> >Randy worries now about virus issues


Bob, I have always worried about virus issues!  Viruses constantly evolve,
as you yourself have noticed with DWV.   The larger the pool of virus
mutations to which we expose our bees, the more chance of us picking up a
highly virulent strain.

We have no idea whether we have already imported all types of viruses from
overseas countries.  Since American researchers have not yet detected some
known types, it appears that we have so far been lucky.

I am concerned with Australian viruses as a special case, since the
virulence of viruses in the presence of varroa can be far more substantial
than their virulence without varroa.  Again, I point out how DWV went from
being an obscure and unrecognized virus to being a major killer of colonies
in a few short years.  We have no idea if the next DWV is lurking in some
population of bees overseas.

This is not hype, this is well-demonstrated biology.

Hype would be the prediction that the U.S. pollination industry would
collapse without overseas bee imports.  I feel that this would be a
difficult argument to defend.

It appears to me, that without virulent virus strains, there would be no
shortage of bees in the U.S.  So it is a gamble to bring in overseas bees to
replace them.  We don't know the odds of bringing a new strain of virus that
might inadvertently cause additional colony losses.

I have nothing against Australian bees nor Australian exporters.  I am not
suggesting how I feel that anyone should comment on the proposal.  Each
should look at the facts and submit their own opinion.

Randy Oliver

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