> "The fact is that the parasitic mite Varroa is a major pest killing honey
> bee colonies
>

Can I expand upon that, Pete?  Varroa itself doesn't normally kill the
colony.  It is the viruses that finally take the stressed colony down.  And
viruses don't necessarily require the presence of varroa.

Any macroparasite (varroa, tracheal mite, nosema), plus colony stress
(nutritional, weather, chemical), plus viruses can take colonies down
quickly.  Especially when a new strain of virulent virus evolves from time
to time, just like new flu strains do.  And from time to time we experience
a flu epidemic or pandemic.  No reason to expect otherwise with bees.

Randy Oliver

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned 
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html