They are predicting a cooler than average March & April in Upstate NY  
based on like years with weather patterns that we have experienced  
this past winter.  Could be tough on presently good looking colonies.

But.....  IT has always bothered me that we (beekeepers) have looked  
to the mites as our problem.  Colonies collapsing from mite, ie PMS,  
never really looked like the action of mechanical attack by mites.  It  
always had the ring of a pathogen outbreak. Pathogen outbreaks tend to  
sweep through a population fast & furious. I believe mItes to be just  
a visible symptom of the real cause.  No mites slows the buildup of  
virus vectoring yeilding no collapse.  Its easier to detect the mites  
than the virus.

Its also interesting to hear .... This colony had mites but looked  
better than my other apiary that was just collapsing.    So just  
speculating--we are seeing new pathogens at work--new interactions or  
newly introduced predators & pathogens.  Its interesting to hear the  
Dr. Cox-Foster talk of the interaction of mites salivary injections &  
the breakdown of worker bee immune response to otherwise non-lethal  
microbes.

We also should not rule out the encroachment of Africanized genes-- 
know one really knows how this is affecting our populations --as many  
of our queens come from AHB areas.   We experience the arrival of many  
truck loads of bees into the NE from the south.  Are we getting a  
smattering of Africanized genes?  I experienced Varroa in N. Africa  
prior to their landing in the US & got my first US varroa mites after  
"the trucks " arrived  & dropped hives in my area!  One day no mites-- 
the next lots!

IMHO   we are experiencing the evolution of a new microbial ecosystem,  
pathogens, fungi, bacterium & virus.  The mites are at the center but  
only a incidental player.  Mites do their thing (as far as we know)  
without the aid of other organisms.  These organisms as introduced are  
freeloaders interacting on their own volition causing much of our  
problem--they are the bottom line in our issues--thats where I place  
my money!!!

Perhaps another trait to breed for would be virus resistance!

Mike

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