On Fri, Nov 7, 2008 at 12:44 AM, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> -- Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >But the advent of such a relationship is by no means assured as evidenced
> by the experiment on Santa Cruz Island. It has taken place in populations of
> Apis cerana and Apis mellifera scutellata.
>
> well peter, are you claiming here that this is proof that if left to their
> own devices, varroa would kill off all honeybees in north america?  it's
> been 100 million years (and an asteroid impact to boot) and the bees are
> still here despite all the physical and biological challenges they have
> faced...only recently have they had any help from humans.


Bad argument, as there are literally millions of species that are extinct.
This line of reasoning assumes a static universe. Also pathogens can wipe
out one species as they have other hosts or leap species. Peter is right.

Plus, it is not Varroa or other mites that are the main problem. It is the
pathogens that do most of the killing. Mites weaken bees so they are more
susceptible to anything that might be out there, including winter. We always
seem to get back to Carrick who set most of us right way back with
Tracheal..

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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