> Hey Justin, excellent points, I'd like to know what kind of monitoring
> schedule you'd recommend. Anything posted on this issue to help me run
> interference with my next hive very appreciated.
>

I hardly consider myself an authority on the subject, so you are welcome to
listen to advice from much better individuals than I (such as Randy Oliver,
to name only one of SEVERAL).

That being said, I will tell you what I do, and what I recommend to people
starting out in my location.

For me: I rarely have much of a mite count or issue in early spring, so I
shoot to take the first mite count 20-30 days before supers go on. Supers
go on around the third week in April, on average, meaning I want my fist
mite count to be the third week in March to the first week in April. If
they need a treatment, I hit them then. Regardless, I check up about a week
or so before supers are on, to see how the treatments worked (or if
something changed). I then check once supers come off, typically around the
first week in July. I test again in September, and treat if needed, and
follow up with a check 30 days after treatment (to confirm the treatment
worked), which places it around mid to the end of October. I usually don't
follow up after that (although it probably wouldn't be a bad idea for me to
check again in November).

For those starting out: I usually recommend they check for mites (not
through sticky board) once a month from the start of dandelion bloom until
goldenrod stops. That is so they can see the change in mites, mainly. After
two or three years, they can get a better idea of where the mites are at
during particular times of year, and can adjust accordingly. But, I don't
know many who have followed up on that plan (usually doing it for two
months then stopping, for whatever reason).

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