Bill asked:    Once a swarm is established on its own, am I correct in assuming that eventually, maybe even in the same season, a swarm colony becomes overwhelmed with varroa and through immigration, robbing or absconding it can also become the source of late season invasion?



Ignoring the 'immigration, emigration, migration' aspect, the answer to Bill's question is a definite, 'maybe'.  I know of bees that have been in a roof continuously for over a quarter of a century without being overwhelmed with Varroa. The nearest beekeeper is over a mile away. Tom Seeley's famous Ithaca Forest swarms, although infested with Varroa, managed to exist for years without becoming overwhelmed, but when they were congregated in an apiary they succumbed.


This just goes to show that, apart from the beekeeper, the worst enemy of a colony of bees is another colony of bees!


Chris

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