Arkansas Bees?

[qa33010]

Hi!   I'm new at this and am attempting to build or buy a hive and equipment for this highly addictive hobby (I've been hooked since 1966 and never found anyone who would help me start) that I am starting to share with my neighbor.  She has two hives and purchased her bees.  Yesterday we were checking on a sick hive that she requeened a little over a week ago (no queen, but we're both greenies, but we did see what may have been three queen cells) and we began talking about me getting active.  Anyway the question is that she heard a rumor that I would not be able to import bees from other states into Arkansas due to mite problems.  If I need a queen that is fine, no problem, but no workers.  I am going to try and contact our County Extension Office and see if this is true.  However they are quite busy and it may take awhile.  Has anyone else heard of this?  Will I have to wait for a swarm or try for a feral hive here in Arkansas?  I know we do have some ferel bees in the area, there seems to be more than before, and the landowners are pleased as punch to have them there.  This is also the first year in well over 10 years that I have seen a lot of honey bees and various gardners around town are saying the same.  Are ferel bees getting more resistant to the mites?  Sorry... long winded.  Thanks!

[Phoenix]

To answer part of your question, you can order bees from outside your state.  In my opinion there are worse parasites of the honeybee than the varroa mites, varroa can be controlled fairly easy.  Do a search on this site for Small Cell Foundation, and you will find many discussions on advantages of going this route.

As for your question regarding feral bees becoming more resistant... I believe those that are feral survivors are more resistant, and therefore have the traits you desire.  Again, the survivor bees are most likely due to the size of natural comb, which is what we are trying to duplicate by using the Small Cell Foundation.