The following is Part 1 in a series of cautionary tales about underestimating Varroa mite. This tale takes place in the US where Varroa mite is established. 

When I started in beekeeping in 2008, it was as a student volunteer (aka enthusiastic dogsbody) for bee breeders, Susan Cobey and Kim Fondrk, at the University of California, Davis (UCD), Harry H. Laidlaw Bee Research Facility. This was about 19 years after Varroa was first discovered in California, US. By 2008, I had already gained plenty of insect experience working on different entomology field and lab studies while at uni, but no prior beekeeping experience or direct experience with parasites like Varroa. 

With a general knack for animal handling and ability to follow instruction,