I'd have to agree w/ Lon. A few years ago, after I'd heard
experts proclaiming [to the effect] that "feral honey bees
are 'extinct'", I had plenty around my house. This year, I've seen almost
none. My Japanese (w/ some addition of blue orchard) bees did well and I've
seen many bumblebees but no honey bees.
Chris Mauchline
SE PA, zone 6
40° 5' N 75° 51'W
~650 ft elevation
>There is resistance - some Russian strains with resistance have been
>imported into the U.S. However, it's too soon for them to have spread that
>much. More likely, the mites have died back due to lack of hosts. With an
>increase in non-resistant honeybees, the mites will build up again.
>Boom-bust cycles are very common in all sorts of species, and the bees are
>likely to be going through a boom cycle right now.
>-Lon Rombough
Chris Mauchline
SE PA, zone 6
40° 5' N 75° 51'W
~650 ft elevation