randy oliver <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
,,I don't know
>if we can extrapolate the conditions in my area, nor in Germany, to short
>season, cold winter areas, where colonies don't collapse until after it's
>too cold to rob,
Hello Randy,
The ‘time of the collapse’ means little, the research shows the belief
that virulent mites are ’ALL dying during winter’ a false assumption. The
researchers found that from the dates “August–October 2006” The
infestation rate into other colonies averaged about 200 mites. These
mites are scattered over the population of honeybee colonies and are not
ALL dying back at the original colony from which they came.
To make the non virulant mite theory work, one has to make some great
assumptions that robbing NEVER occurs, and that it never occurs in
colonies that have bees in them ,,,and robbing never occurs during August
thru October,,, Testing, drifting etc.? The new study proves that mites
ARE being transferred between colonies during the summer months at
distances of at least 1.5 K and therefore is in direct contradiction to
the non virulent mite theory, which relies heavily on the assumption of
virulant mites are staying in their colonies and succumbing in winter.
,,,such as on Gottland Island. There's no reason that
>nonvirulent mites couldn't evolve there. So I'm not sure that the theory
is
>universally dead.
I don’t think we can assume that robbing and transfer of mites does not
occur on Gottland Island and Nordic areas during summer months. However,
I do agree that an island or ‘totally isolated’ areas would perhaps select
for the so called non virulent mites, but Seeleys 4200 acre tract of
forest with domestic beehives known to exist right outside the borders is
a far cry from isolation.
Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles
FeralBeeProject.com
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