Re: CULT: new topic: bees

In a message dated 11/26/03 8:54:36 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
jijones@usjoneses.com writes:

> The massive decline in the wild bee population several years ago was 
> primarily caused by the tracheal mite. In the following years the 
> population of tracheal mites plummeted because the host population was 
> so low. The wild bee population is recovering and will probably 
> stabilize with its new threat. Sometimes predator/host populations vary 
> up and down in long deep cycles.
> 
> 
> 
Perhaps by "wild bees" you mean something besides honey bees.
I lost no hives to tracael mites.  I tested some hives without Apistan, (for 
Varoa Mites).  All of my losses were in the untreated hives suggesting at 
least to me that the Varoa Mite was my main culprit.
I have removed bees from houses and barns as a public service for years.  I 
used to do as many as my spare time would allow.  I didn't do any this year.  
Last year I only did one and could see the "yard" the swarm had come from, so 
they were domestic not wild.  We have had mite problems for 20+ years with 
improvement only because of increased diligence.
Beekeepers now use a screened bottom board,  early fall treatment, drone 
brood combs, (Varoa mites prefer drone brood, the key here is to remove and 
destroy the drone brood before it emerges thus destroying the majority of the mite 
brood.)
Trachael mites seem in my personal experience to be a more serious problem in 
the south.
This may cycle as you suggest,  20 + years for most of us is a little much.  
Probably much more about bees than anyone wanted to know. 

George Mason Portland, Or.

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