From: "ed" " Perhaps someday
> we will spray a solution into our hives that contains a bacteria/virus
that
> kills varroa but is harmless to bees. I know this idea has been raised at
> least once on this list, does anyone know of research that points to a
> solution here?"

Keep an eye on the reasearch into fungi .
Quote from Apis UK newsletter, taken from
:www.beedata.com/apis-uk/newsletters/apis-uk0802.htm

"FUNGI. THE LATEST VARROA DESTROYER?
Fungi could soon be helping beekeepers to combat varroa as recent research
has shown that certain fungi can kill varroa just as effectively as
chemicals currently used for this task. We all know that chemicals are not a
long term solution to varroa control and many beekeepers especially on the
continent (including me) have lost colonies because of reliance on these
chemicals which because of overuse have caused the emergence of resistance
to them. Research into the use of fungi is being carried out by Dr David
Chandler and Dr Gill davidson of the Horticultural research International
Association in Warwickshire. Dr Chandler states that interest in fungal
controls is increasing as the public become more concerned about the
environmental impact of pesticide residues in food.
The team has found more than 40 fungi that are able to kill varroa mites
with 100 hours and although these fungi occur naturally, they are rarely
encountered within a hive because the bees keep the hives so clean. The most
promising types of fungi are now being tested to ensure that they are
effective in the high temperature and humidity regimes of the brood nest.
The fungal spores kill the mites over a week long period by penetrating
their cuticle and poisoning the mite - drying it out and damaging its cells
and organs.
The research team is now is now embarking on a three year study in
conjunction with the IACR Bee Research Unit in Rothamstead, Hertfordshire to
identify the best strains of fungi and to find the best way of distributing
them around the hive.
Honeybees are already used to spread fungi on some commercial crops so it
may be easy to adapt these methods to spread it around the hive, e.g. by
providing a fungi footpath that bees have to walk through on entering the
hive. "

End of quote .

Robin Dartington

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