I thought they preferred the Drone brood because of the longer development
cycle so that all of the femal eggs could develop and mate before emergence.
Briefly cycle is:
        Female mite enters developing, uncapped, cell
        Female lays first female egg
        Female lays male egg
        Female lays second female egg.
        Female lays third female egg.
   ? When does capping occur?
        Female lays fourth female egg
        eggs hatch and feed on bee larva (many molts) and pupa
        mites mate in capped cell
        females (fertilized) leave with larva. Male died.
    ? How many eggs can a female mite lay?
    ? are they all layed in one cell?
 
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+    Raymond J. Lackey                                     +
+    Beekeeper 10 years with 25 colonies on Long Island, NY+
+    INTERNET: [log in to unmask]                       +
+    Mail: 1260 Walnut Avenue, Bohemia NY 11617            +
+    Home Phone: 516-567-1936  FAX: 516-262-8053           +
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