e bees."  In my
 
AW>From: Adrian Wenner <[log in to unmask]>
  >Date:         Wed, 12 Jun 1996 08:03:11 PDT
  >Subject:      Re: Aggressive bees
 
AW>   Quite a few have commented recently about "aggressive bees."  In my
  >studies of varroa mite infestation, I have noticed that aggression seems to
  >get more intense with ever-greater infestation rates.  In one hive on Santa
  >Cruz Island last week, the bees were almost impossible to work --- even
  >with heavy doses of smoke.  A check of the level of infestation revealed
  >that the colony likely had only another month or so of life.
 
AW>   Has anyone else noticed that correlation?  If real, anyone finding a
  >suddenly aggressive colony might inspect closely for varroa mites, using
  >one or more of the eight known techniques (as listed in our June article in
  >BEE CULTURE: P. 343).
 
No I have never heard or experienced this, if anything the weaker the
hives with varroa or without the less aggressive the bees to the point
that the last dozen or so bees fly off into oblivion when opened.
 
How did the bees on this isolated island get varroa mite in the first
place?  How far from shore is it?
 
                         ttul Andy-
---
 ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ ... To sway its silent chimes, else must the bee,