>Now, this brings into question the efficiency of recovery.  From
>empirical data given we see that 1 mite/day observed using whatever
>means they used (I'm assuming a sticky board about big enough to
>occupy the entire floor area) means a 500 mite population.  Using my
>number from above, we see that means we did not see 90% of the
>dropping mites.  They escaped our sticky board.
 
The numbers that I cited are without a sticky board! We
have usualy only  a flat panel (the drawer) on wich the mites fall.
Sticky boards or oiled paper are not used. I dought that the
efficiency justifies the amount of work involved. Do you have any
data about this?
 
The lifespan of a varroa mite differes depending of
the brood in the colony (similar as for the bees). This is part of
the reason why the natural fall off differs in times with bees
breeding and not.  Michael Haberl has pointed out this some days ago.
 When the bees have no brood you  find only the dead oldies (dark
brown) on the drawer. If they are breeding you find also youngsters
that have not fully developed. These are from white to light brown.
 
How are your bottom boards on the palettes. Are they four separate
boards or one big board with four entrances? I understand that you,
as a professional have to be very cautious about a new system,
because you dont have your bees for fun plus a very small income as I
do. But I think that the mesh floors are simply the best system for
beekeeper wich have to fight with varroa. In your situation I would
give them a trial for a few colonies and see how well they work.
Diagnosis is a matter of seconds.1000 mites in the colony means 2
fall off per day. Compare this with  the ether roll that kills you
some hundred bees or counting the mites in 100 drone cells, nasty and
time consuming. Further it is the place were you can treat a colony
without any contact to the bees.
 
 
Wolfgang Poehlmann
Alte  Schoeckinger Str.11
D-71282 Hemmingen