On Fri, 12 Mar 1999, Ted Leischner wrote:
 
> I am looking for up to date statistics on the number of hives or
> percentage of hives being lost to mite infestation in North America.
> I am writing a proposal and need to quantify this trend and indicate
> whether the trend is being held in check or if hive losses are
> increasing?  The context of the proposal focuses on the impact of mites
> on the pollination of crops.  Can you assist me?  Your input would be
> greatly appreciated.
 
I haven't done an exhaustive literature search but, as far as I know,
there aren't many publications providing hard data on colony deaths
attributable to mites. Apart from anecdotal accounts (e.g., Lazaneo, V.
1994. Parasitic mite is to blame for lack of honey bees. San Diego
Union-Tribune. Sept. 25, 1994; Bradley, D. 1994? Columnist buzzing over
loss of honey bees. Portland Review & Observer [no date given] [both
reprinted in the newsletter of the Mississippi Beekeeper's Association]),
the only articles I've come across that include any numerical or
percentage data on colony losses are the following:
 
Adams, S. 1993. Fighting for survival against bee mites. Agricultural
        Research (March): 14-17.
 
Loper, G.M. 1995. A documented loss of feral bees due to mite infestations
        in s. Arizona. American Bee Journal 135(12): 823-824.
 
 
****************************************************************************
Tom Culliney    Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry,
1428 South King St., Honolulu, HI 96814, U.S.A.
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Telephone: 808-973-9528
FAX: 808-973-9533
 
"To a rough approximation and setting aside vertebrate chauvinism, it can
   be said that essentially all organisms are insects."--R.M. May (1988)
"Bugs are not going to inherit the earth. They own it now. So we might as
   well make peace with the landlord."--T. Eisner (1989)