Dick,
This is common to experience this varroa pressure
while regressing.   I have found that regressing can
be more stressful on some colonies than others and
this added stress seems to contribute to varroa
susceptibility.  I have had several colonies collapse
from varroa while regressing.  In fact, varroa wiped
out most all of my "mite resistant" Russians during
the second year of regression.  ,,,I wiped out the
rest the next spring and replaced with better bees.
;>)

Regressing, I have found is not an easy venture. You
are at the point in the regression process where  many
fail as I have experienced at that stage. I did not
give up after loosing colonies during regressing, but
instead continued with the things that were working
for me.  I am on my 4th year with small cell and am
having good success with it.

I also eagerly trap feral swarms to integrate into my
operation.  Some swarms do well on small cell, others
that don't get cut in July. I have been no treatments
of any kind since 2001 and the bees are looking better
each season.  I have a 90% varroa / winter combined
survival rate, and I do not believe I am seeing the
full potential just yet, as things still seem to be
improving each season.

Best Wishes,
Joe
Pennsylvania


> A year ago this last spring I installed a package of
> ‘standard’ size Carniolans onto drawn out small
> cell combs.  No treatments of any kind...
...Some of the drone brood I
> scratched open had 5 or 6 mites. I left things
> alone to see if they would survive the mites. It
> appears they aren’t going to.  More bees began
> appearing with deformed wings, phoretic mites were
> readily seen on workers, and P.M.S...






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