>Nick Wallingford wrote: >> Our Government will be faced with the decision about whether to attempt >> eradication within the next week or so, >Well, I guess most people have had their say by now. If only one colony with >varroa survives the "eradication" of the bees, what will the authorities and >beekeepers do next year ?? ----------------------------------------------------------- >John F. Edwards >Carl Hayden Bee Research Center >Tucson, Arizona 85719 Good question. Some thoughts that come to mind: 1)Have maybe 2-5 years before getting on the chemical merry-go-round. Knocking back the mite population by destroying the bees could result in a lower total cost than treating every hive in the country two times a year. When you count the cost of chemical as well as the labor involved the cost of treatment can be rather high. 2)Keep at it. Smallpox took a few years, and a lot of work to wipe out but the project was not dumped after the first year.