In message <005701c3230e$1455fdc0$07b687d9@oemcomputer>, Peter Edwards
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>After a month there can be a considerable amount of
>debris making it very difficult to estimate the number of varroa.  I have
>tried this in the past and then taken the debris home for a thorough count.
I sieve the debris through two mesh sizes - one to let mites through and
keep pollen etc behind, the other top keep mites (mature) and let frass
through. What's left is roughly 50:50 mites and rubbish - easy to count
and examine.
>The estimate was always wrong.  There is also the matter of waxmoths - in
>this area your tray would be alive after a month!
Many colonies seem to drop small wax moth grubs down through the mesh
and they thrive - a week is long enough!
Robin said
>>Isn't Varooa one of the most serious problems we have?
>
>I am not sure that it is!  In my view we lose far more bees (and therefore
>production) to chalk brood than to varroa, which is easily, cheaply and well
>controlled by my treatment regime.
Chalk brood seems on the increase and may have something to do with
varroa. In some hives all the first lot of drone brood had chalk brood -
at least it seems to be natural negative feedback culling mites.
>  EFB has been a major problem in this
>area and that means loss of brood, comb and frames - which does not happen
>with varroa.
Unless you leave the treatment too long.
--
James Kilty

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