Hello All
 
Thanks to Ken Hoare for the comments. I would comment further as follows:
 
>But I fail to understand that you can judge the strength of a colony from
>observing an insert.
 
I was of the understanding that the strength of a colony can be estimated by
the number of frames occupied. The varroa floor insert shows the number of
frames occupied by the debris on the insert. Am I missing something here?
 
>
>Most certainly disagree when he states it is unnecessary to change the
>floors in spring,
 
Good point and taken.
 
>No varroa screens are a tool to be used in beekeeping, just like the smoker
>and hive tool, and once they have served their purpose they should be
>cleaned up and put away until the next time.
 
I understood that the varroa screen should be left on the hive permanently,
and the paper/card insert changed to indicate mite fall against time. Again
straighten me out if I am wrong.
 
> please don't say there anything else otherwise we will
>have no beekeepers left in the UK - that is apart from the Wedmore student
>in Shropshire, UK.
 
I too am a Wedmore student. I would heartily recommend 'A Manual of
Beekeeping' by E.B. Wedmore.
 
Sincerely
 
Tom Barrett
49 South Park
Foxrock
Dublin 18
Ireland
 
Hobbyist beekeeper
 
e mail [log in to unmask]
Tel + 353 1 289 5269
Fax + 353 1 289 9940
 
Latitude  53 Degrees 16' North
Longitude  6 Degrees  9' West of Greenwich