>
> >There has to be a better way than grasping for the next treatment.


I'm in complete agreement!  Breeding is the long-term solution.

>I'm curious to know what the cost is to do more treatments at a lower kill
rate, as opposed to fewer treatments at a higher kill rate. Any idea what
the difference in cost is?

The cost is minimal when I work it out.  We try to piggyback treatment with
other hive openings.  When hive income per season is in the $250 range up,
an extra dollar and an extra minute of labor are dollars well spent.

>'m also curious as to what impact that has on your viral loads.

We keep viral loads minimal all season by never allowing varroa to climb
above the 2% infestation rate.

>We hear so often that most matings are brother/sister and that mites are
clones, but are there any data on mating?  How often is there just a single
mite mother per cell?  How often 2 or 3 or 4

Yes, data exist.  Generally only one foundress per cell until mite
infestation rate climbs to a high level.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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