Hello Peter and All,
PB wrote:
I don't see how we, as beekeepers, can "control" the viruses vectored by mites! 

I agree with PB on the above point but Dr. Carrick of the UK has been able to get hives to live and in her opinion thrive while infested with varroa when viruses are controled. 
When Dr. Shiminuki introduced PMS to us he aluded to the fact bees might be able to live with varroa if viruses  could be controlled. I will keep a open mind to my friend Dr. Carricks work and hope others will also.
PB wrote: 
Even if varroa didn't have viruses it seems fairly obvious that high levels of the parasites weaken the colony and cause a failure of brood to hatch. If seven or eight mites are *living* on a pupa, it seems hard to imagine that it would develop normally.
I agree completely Peter but Dr. Carrick has hives which are "living with varroa".  Controlling viruses is possibly beyond the expertise  of many beekeepers and might be too expensive in medicine  and labor  for the large beekeeper.  I have got a general idea of the work Dr. Carrick is doing but would be afraid I would not get everything right if I tried to explain so she needs  to reply. 
If you search the archives of the Irish Beekeeping List  from last year you will find  posts between myself and Dr. Carrick in which she explains her work. 
I would have loved to rejoin the Ibl lists and others but Bee_L is about all I can *hopefully* keep up with going into my busy time of the year..

PB wrote:
I think that honey behavior has to be "modified" through breeding so that they rid themselves of the bulk of these critters.
I agree.

Having read all posts posted  since I have been gone I will ad the below information asked in a couple posts by PB. And others.
Brushy Mountain 2002 catalog claims thymol will be available in the fall.
The head of the Westlaco Bee lab told me at the ABF convention in Savannah  they are doing research on formic acid gel and hope to get the product on the market.
The Tri State meeting  was fantastic.  My friends at Dadant did a wonderful job and the meeting was the most organized of any meeting I have been to in quite a while. 
Final numbers we believe will make the registered attendance of the meeting greater than the ABF and the AHPA meetings this spring  with around 450 beekeepers on Saturday. The meeting was the largest turn out for a state meeting I have ever attended. 
I enjoyed meeting fellow Bee-L members.  Non Bee-L beekeepers  continue to put down our list (as they do the whole Internet) but I believe I have become a better beekeeper by joining Bee-L.
  I certainly do not know all the answers to today's beekeeping questions and would be skeptical of the beekeeper which says he or she has all the answers. Sorting through the various opinions and research is part of the learning process.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
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