The Varroa problem has been rattling in my head for a long time now. I can not see an end to treatments ever. Varroa here in the Phili...
The Varroa problem has been rattling in my head for a long time now. I can not see an end to treatments ever.
Varroa here in the Philippines is adapted to survive on the native bee Apis Cerana which is considerably smaller than the Western Honey Bee. Cerana provides a reservoir for Varroa specifically adapted to its size.
In the USA, with first infestation of Varroa as long ago as 1978, there are now surviving populations of wild ( feral ) bees living in balance with Varroa. Did the bees adapt to the Varroa? I think not which put me at odds with most opinion on the subject.
Here is my reasoning...
Varroa here in the Philippines is adapted to survive on the native bee Apis Cerana which is considerably smaller than the Western Honey Bee. Cerana provides a reservoir for Varroa specifically adapted to its size.
In the USA, with first infestation of Varroa as long ago as 1978, there are now surviving populations of wild ( feral ) bees living in balance with Varroa. Did the bees adapt to the Varroa? I think not which put me at odds with most opinion on the subject.
Here is my reasoning...
- The Varroa life cycle is far faster than the Bee
- If the Bees die then so do Varroa
- The best survival for Varroa is to maximize population but not burden the host to the point where it is overcome
- Reproduction (swarming) of the Bees is good for Varroa too. Varroa needs healthy bees.
- If adaption is to happen it will be the Varroa that adapt first due to their much faster life cycle.
- Feral bees surviving in the wild are likely living with Varroa that has adapted to suit the Feral bee population and not the other way around.
- The reason beekeepers in areas with survivor feral populations are finding no need to treat for Varroa is their Varroa are now adapted to the Western Honey Bee.
So in countries with no reservoir of Varroa in another species of bees (like we have with Cerana in the Philippines), the Varroa will adapt into a milder, manageable breed over time.
Varroa in the Philippines is analogous to the Bubonic Plague. Black Death exists as disease of small hamster like animals in the steeps of Central Asia. As a disease in humans it is unsuccessful. Each time it reaches human populations, it kills its human host, burns itself out and disappears. Then sometime later it is reestablished from the Central Asian reservoir and kills many but disappears again with the death of the human infected population.
With a natural and thriving population of Varroa in the Cerana bees that abound in the environment there will always be re-infestation of our Western Honey Bees. Unlike the USA it seems to be a problem that will not go away. Most all the pheromones of Cerana are identical. If a specialized race of Varroa were to develop here for the Western Honey Bee specifically then how would it be able to differentiate between Cerana and selectively parasitize our managed hives only? I can not foresee a mechanism.
I am interested to know if Apis Dorsata, which also exists here in the Philippines, has its own balance with Varroa? Dorsata, not being a hived bee and far more genetically distant from our own Honey Bees probably has its own specific parasites. If anyone knows please leave a comment.
An interesting article...
