>>When colonies are widely separated as in the Arnot  forest 
the mites have nowhere else to go so it is in their interest  not to 
exterminate the host.

I saw Tom Seeley's map with the nest locations.  They are close 
enough to be robbed out [and the mites transfered to the new host 
locations].  The same would hold for any managed colonies near the 
forest.

I doubt the mite difference between the forest nest and managed nest 
is significant.  Virus presence or lack thereof might be a bigger 
factor.  I have not heard that anyone has looked at virus levels in 
the forest colonies.

I remove/collect feral colonies in suburbia and many of them 
undoubtedly originate from managed nests yet do just fine on their 
own.  I am inclined to think the mite or virus types are different.

Walemar 

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************