Hi Aaron et al

I'm prompted into action once more.

>One scenario that had escaped me but seems  quite plausible was put forth
at the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association meeting last summer by
Madeleine Pym's father (apologies to Mr. Pym, I do not recall his first
name...   speculated that possibly varroa hops from place to place... with
the help of others.

That's right, my Dad - Mr Ernest Chant, not Pym, noticed that the first
outbreak of varroa in his area (the 2nd area in the UK to be hit by varroa)
was in an apiary directly opposite to a very large garden centre. Many
flowering annuals (bedding plants) are raised under glass in the Netherlands
and imported here. I think another theory concerned the fact that bumble
bees are raised in honeybee colonies in the Netherlands, adding to the
plausibility of the plot... the bumbles are also used in the glass houses
for pollination.

On a similar note, and concerning acarine and the speed with which the Isle
of White Disease spread across the UK, my father is putting together an
article at present (I'll get a copy and email the group) for his local club,
based on information in a couple of old beekeeping books. Briefly, it
involves the practise of itinerant beekeepers and the sale of 'driven bees'.

This meant that bees were driven from skeps and collected together in a box,
by the itinerant beekeeper. The skep owner kept the honey and the skep,  the
traveller kept the bees, which he sold further down the road. Apparently
bicycles and then motorcars then allowed him to cover a greater area. [The
original package bees]

All this just a short time before the 'Isle of White Disease' left its
tragic mark. I'll post the whole story once its done.

Lastly, concerning the distance mites travel, and varroa floors (I haven't
read all my mails lately so hope I don't repeat anyone else's stuff) one
suggestion is to have the bees either on a varroa screen and no wooden
floor, or with a space of six inches (15cm approx.) between varroa floor and
wooden floor. I am told that the varroa mite is unable to climb back from
this distance. Having a reversed wooden floor (i.e. entrance is at back of
hive) allows you then to easily insert a sticky paper to collect the debris.
However, the bees are said to do extremely well with no wooden floor and
only the metal varroa screen - no problem's with keeping warm etc.

You can expect a 15% natural drop, particularly of young mites, which will
not be able to get back into the hive with both of these methods.

Madeleine Pym
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