In a message dated 97-01-08 12:44:51 EST, Adrian Wenner writes:
 
>  The sudden colony collapse without beekeepers being aware of an
>infestation now becomes more understandable.  My impression is that a
>colony can harbor ever higher loads of varroa infestation and then suddenly
>reaches a breaking point.  In this case, they could no longer keep their
>broo
 
Thank you,  Adrian, for sharing this with us.  I've been a beekeeper for l6
years, observing and reading, and trying hard to understanding what was going
on in my apiary.  Reading the above, brief paragraph was like having a veil
lifted from before my eyes.  Suddenly, so much of what I have been seeing the
past two or three years made sense.  All the reading of this bee-line is
worth it to find such a kernel amongst the chaff.
 
Some thoughts are percolating right now; could you give me your two cents on
them.  I  do my usual spring balancing of hives by swapping frames of brood
from heavy hives to lighter ones.  Last year, after such manipulations, I
noticed that one hive had challkbrood.  My heart sunk.  Had I moved some
frames from it to another colony?  I could not remember.  But, reflecting
now, might such actions not only have spread chalkbrood but varroa as well.
 Then again, if both are in one hive might such conditions spread to the
others even without frame exchanges?
 
Thank you, Adrian (and any others) for the input.  Meanwhile,  keep up the
good work.  This past posting was fascinating.  No wonder island nations
(Hawaii,etc.) want to keep out other bees!
 
Faith Andrews Bedford
Ivy, VA and Tampa