>Do we think that the high levels of infant mortality in earlier centuries
actually created healthier populations?

Pete, we cannot compare human populations (tribes) to the honey bee colony
in this case.  In any human population, half the individuals are
reproductive females.  In bees, only the queen.  This makes a huge
difference with regard to natural selection of traits.

>Would hygienic bees uncap the cells and release the varroa?


Removal of the dead pupae would free up the cells, but *A ceranae* apparently
does so only with worker cells, not with drone cells.  With regard to what
I'm guessing is your train of thought, it wouldn't make any difference,
since the foundress mite would not be able to reproduce.  No matter how
many times a foundress carrying a quick-acting virus attempted to
reproduce, she would never be successful, no matter whether she was
released after each attempt.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html