In message <058001c36bff$da92eb80$14a59bd0@BusyBeeAcres>, Bob Harrison
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Drifting drones surely spread varroa mites but the main cause of
>reinfestation is *robbing*.
I totally agree with Bob on this. Though there is natural variation in
varroa infestation within an apiary, this is nothing compared with the
numbers brought in by robbing out a colony weakened by varroa and on its
last legs. Drifting might even equalise infestation, except in the end
ones. In any case, drones travel between apiaries in search of virgins.

As regards drifting, more important to keep efb down for me (we have
very rare afb here in Cornwall UK and almost no acarine in my hives),
most of my hives are on fixed stands in pairs, at angles to each other
around the apiary, sometimes W, sometimes D. In some instances they are
in a square or on pallets (facing 4 directions), distributed so as to
associate with different landmarks.
--
James Kilty

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