On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, F Hogenboom wrote:
 
> Stan Standler worries about varroatosis in non apis mellifera:
> quite rightly!
>
> > From a Dutch newspaper I remember a report of a bumblebee-nest
> > with varroa mites.
>
> The problem is: in which way can non apis mellifera be infected
> by varroa mites? One possibility might be that robber (bumble)
> bees can bring OUT mites after 'visiting' a heavily infected
> honeybee colony. I don't think there are honeybees robbering
> bumblebee-nests.
 
As I understand it, the only known hosts of varroa jacobsoni
are apis cerana (the original host) and apis mellifera. Although
other insects can act as transport, none are known as hosts.
 
By far the biggest cause of long-distance spread of varroa is
movement of honeybees, deliberately or accidently, from one area
to another.  The most likely causes of arrival on an island
are either importation of honeybees, or swarms/feral colonies
arriving on ships.
 
Sadly, it's not so much a case of if varroa arrives anywhere,
more a case of when.  The first year or three after discovery
can be a nasty shock as the situation goes from 'just found'
to serious.  Only three years after the discovery here (UK) of
varroa, we have beekeepers who have lost 40% of their colonies
because they didn't take varroa seriously enough. Most now know
better and will be ready next year, but some *still* think wasps
(yellowjackets) were to blame by robbing colonies to death.
Take the opportunity you have now to prepare.
 
Our (UK) Bumblebees are so benign that I personally am sceptical
that they rob honeybee colonies (unless maybe the latter are
already right at the point of collapse). If varroa does get
onto them, I suspect that they get picked up by bee-to-bee
contact on flowers rather than by nest interactions.
 
 
Gordon Scott   [log in to unmask]   Hampshire, England.
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               Beekeeper; Kendo 3rd Dan; Sometime sailor.
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