>     Someone in the research community needs to be checking these "survivors"
> to find out why they are surviving, i.e., what is the mechanism of
> resistance
> to varroa? And is this only a mild-climate phenomenon?

The larger question is - has the same tolerance appeared in Europe which
has had the mite for much longer than the US? If not, then we are either
talking about different Varroa or are seeing a normal cycle for the mite
and bee. If Varroa kills off all the feral bees and all the bees kept by
beekeepers who are lax in mite treatment, you remove the mite source and
will go through a mite free period until feral colonies reestablish the
cycle. Then there is a surge of feral bees- from beekeepers swarms- and
all looks well until the Varroa peak and you are back to ground zero.
That has happened here in Maine. Led to some complacent beekeepers.

And we know there are different Varroa, and different results from each,
including the low losses reported in the presence of the mite.

Only reason I ask is I have not seen anything similar with the European
community. Does not mean it has not happened, but it certainly seems a
well kept secret if it has.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME