User:Ashen Rain/sandbox


 * 1) Varroa mites feed off the fat body tissue of adult, pupal, and larval honey bees, and may carry viruses that are particularly damaging to the bees (e.g., deformed wings, and IAPV), and accordingly they have been implicated in colony collapse disorder. Research has indicated that alone, neither Varroa mites nor deformed wing virus are particularly deadly, yet together they can pose an incredible risk to colonies.  Varroa mites were first discovered in Java about 1904, but are now present in all honey bee populations except Australia, Isle of Man and northern parts of Norway.  Because of the lack of varroa in Isle of Man, on February 16th 2015, the EU made a decision that allowed the Isle of Man to block the importation of all bee-related supplies .They were discovered in the United States in 1987, in New Zealand in 2000, and in the United Kingdom in 1992 (Devon).  Bee-breeding efforts to develop resistance against Varroa are ongoing. The USDA has developed a line of bees which uses Varroa-sensitive hygiene to remove reproductive mites. This line is now being distributed to beekeepers to be used as part of their integrated pest management programs.