In a message dated 22/09/03 05:02:09 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<  My gut-feeling is that not all of them will succumb
 to v. mites, probably a wishful thinking.  >>

Yoon,

Between the joists of a flat roof of a kitchen about 5 miles from me there
are bees.  They are flying in 3 places from the decaying fascia board.  The
owner says bees have been there for 20 years.  We (in UK) have had varroa in this
area for over 10 years. Nobody has treated those bees.  There are no
beekeepers very close as far as I know, but certainly they are within drone drift of a
number of hives.

My guess is that they take it in turns to die out and occupy each others' old
niches.

If you don't depend on your bees for your bread and butter stick with it
Yoon. However I think you would learn more if you put your hives on mesh floors
and monitored natural mite drop. For example you might identify the critical
threshold for your own circumstances.  Or you might identify hives with more
success at coping with or evicting mites.

Do what you think right.  Be true to yourself.

Chris

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