In message <B1749ZWRMBW93P*/R=GALAXY/R=A1/U=KCLARK/@MHS>, "Kerry Clark of AGF 784-2225 fax (604) 784 2299" <[log in to unmask]> writes > Dave Black wrote, > > "I'd be inclined to select the mites not the bee." > > I agree that it would be easier, and there's also the possible strategy > of importing selected non pathogenic mites, but it's not obvious to me > that such mites (either selected in place, or imported) would solve the > varroa problem. I was thinking along the lines of your earlier post... >when unselected bee stock is brought (without varroa) into >the area, it too becomes only moderately infested and does not >require treatment. The key difference seems to be that 50 to 60 % >of these varroa in worker brood are infertile. Maybe we could breed in infertility to the new subspecies 'European Mite' Varroa jackobsoni europeaus. :-) -- Dave Black <http://www.guildford.ac.uk/beehive>, Guildford, GU1 4RN. UK.