Peter asks:
I would be most interested to get an indication of varroa mite levels as
present in bee colonies for the season 2004.

I am seeing  the same  as I have been. Different levels  with different
stocks before treatment. Also different levels between hives  in those
stocks but none  with PMS. Those I have treated   mite levels  are  now at
a  reasonable  level. I do have one large yard  to give the last varroa
treatment to and    final test but done with the others.

Untreated   hives   surviving  with no signs of PMS. I did pick up a robbed
out hive in a untreated yard last  week. Always a risk when honey flows end
in fall.

I know of three large outfits  having serious varroa problems. The first
treatment they tried did not work on  all hives  to control varroa so they
were forced to try another type of control and  they  are  all waiting to
see  the results of the second method

All the outfits have got already   a large number of deadouts.

Testing   done in Missouri and in the south of installing the *patent
pending  varroa tolerant  queen *into a hive with a very high varroa load
and seeing the varroa load  drop to a reasonable varroa load has been met
with success. Our success was higher in Missouri than in the south but we
only installed five queens and in the south they did hundreds but proves to
*me* the value of installing a varroa tolerant queen.

I hope next fall to have Russian/Russian queens to install and see if the
varroa load will drop in a hive with rapidly rising varroa load in August in
Missouri. I believe Russians have been tried as above in the south. I intend
to try and will see if I can find out  results from trials by another
beekeeper in the south doing Russian testing.

To be successful  with the above you need to install the varroa tolerant
queen early  enough in fall for her daughters to replace many of the  old
queens  daughters. Eight weeks is about right  although results have been
seen earlier at times and to be fair results are usually 50% at best.

I always remind myself of the "Yugo bee" when I see positive results in
varroa tolerance. For those on the list not familiar with the Yugo bee. The
Yugo bee in Yugoslavia was surviving varroa and had not been treated in
fifteen years. When moved into other areas the  varroa tolerance dropped to
the same levels as other colonies in the area. Researchers were baffled. My
hypothesis is the original  varroa the Yugo was exposed to was a less
virulent strain than the second strain but I was never involved  so only an
uneducated guess. Varroa destructor was discovered after the Yugo project.

Are others hearing  of  beekeepers with higher than normal varroa problems?
A large beekeeping supply house this weekend said the reports  they are
getting  are  split.  Some with problems and some   without.

Bob

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