> This is believed to be a significant reason, contributing factor, as to why queens nowadays do not last as long as years ago before varroa. Sudden queenlessness and short lived queens has become normalized in the era of varroa. I personally have not seen a varroa on a queen, but you have to know and expect that when the colony infestation level is up some of the mites must get to her as well. The bees are always grooming the queen, so many mites are probably removed before she is affected. However in a weak or weakened colony, the grooming is likely much less and much less effective.
Thank you Mr HP. This is exactly where I was going and was to be my next questions and suggestions. Perhaps early Superseders, lost queens leading to queenless hives, non resourceful laying queens during Severe mite infestation and other reasons may be a direct cause of the varroa destructor in certain cases. This would explain much. If so, and I tend to believe it is so would explain a lot. And not only that. When folks treat with formic or certain types of formic produces, many complain that sometimes many bees are lost at treatment time. Some have reported even the loss of the queen in certain cases. I am suggesting that these weak die off bees of treatment time may also be a direct cause of death at treatment from the effects of varroa destructor when using the organic formic treatments. Now I am speaking in terms of when all is administered correctly according to guild lines for such. I am suggesting perhaps the loss of certain queens at this time may very well be due to an already unhealthy queen. Therefore it may be good if she does die, especially if the keeper has an adequate supply of banked queens on hand to replenish the weak Sickly die off queens. Some may totally disagree but I do believe this theory is in the realm of possibilities.
Phillip