Ascribing the coexistence of African/Africanized bees and varroa to 
climate seems like a slippery slope.  Climate (and some cultural 
practices) may modulate the outcome of the varroa/susceptible honey bee 
dynamics, but the main driver is a positive net reproductive rate of 
mites.  Unless that component changes, sooner or later colonies will be 
taken down.  In the southern U.S., it was common to see untreated 
susceptible colonies established as nucs with new queens in the spring 
get killed by varroa by the late summer, early fall.  At 7500 feet 
elevation, 38 degrees N, where we now keep a few colonies and follow 
those of hobbyists and sideliners, an untreated nuc does well in the 
first year, and then into the second year, but gets taken down the 
second winter.  Perplexing for those not monitoring mites- why did my 
colonies survive the first winter, but not the second?  Different time 
course, same outcome.

 

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