Bees... page two
The honey bee and the varroa mite
since 1992 when the varroa mite was first discovered in Devon there was a steady decline in our honey bees, it was fortunate that scientists came up with medications to help combat the mite. The mite also known as the varroa destructor originated from asia, however over generations the asian honey bee (apis cerana) has become immune to the viruses that the mite carries, while our own honey bee, (apis mellifera) succumbs to these viruses that enter the bees blood stream from the mites bite
A typical example of a particular virus is DWV or deformed wing syndrome, a bee without formed wings is no use to a colony of bees and it is possible to have hundreds like it ... no wings ...no nectar. The varroa mite is also a major factor in CCD or colony colapse disorder
It is therefore the responsibility of every bee keeper to have a program of varroa mite control ,Two fortnightly treatments will cover all stages of the bees lifecycle.
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