In a message dated 03/10/2004 05:04:23 GMT Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

>  I'm glad to see that someone on this list understood what I  meant when I
> said that the bees are able to learn to handle Varroa

I have noticed and reported before that, over a period of several months of
monitoring, an increasing proportion of natually fallen mites in a hive showed
damage that can only have been inflicted by the bees.  Learning how to handle
varroa is not the only possible explanation but I think it is one of the
contenders.  Bees are notoriously flexible and adapable in their behavior and a
capacity to learn (as they learn location of home and of foraging sites) may be a
heritable part of their genetic make up, without invoking the shades of
Lamarck or of Lysenko.

Chris

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::