For example
>The number of daughters per infesting mother decreases at higher rates of infestation per cell, but the proportion of such daughters with a mate rises sharply due to the higher probability of finding a male within multi-infested cells. The number of mated daughters per mother is maximal in cells with two foundress Varroa females.<

There is a basic we need to understand here,  and since its new to me in the math (last year)  I suspect you're not the only one not aware Glen.  
 I was taught mites reproduce at a rate of about 1.4 per cycle (numbers vary per season and worker or drone,  but just basics simple numbers for the explanation)  
Now obviously its not .4  it 4 out of ten actual produce 2 adults instead of just one,  but  fairly straight forward.

Heres the kicker,  not all of those are fertile,  so while the number rises,  they are not all "foundress mites" now.  Turns out that the number of fertile females is closer to 1.1  (or only one in ten producing 2 fertile females) again  that number varies.

So what the explanation is trying to tell us,  is that the 1.4 number is dropping ,  but the 1.1 number is rising!  So instead of 1 in 10 raising two fertile females  it may be 3 in 10.  But they are fertile!

Each foundress completes several cycles,  ~5  but the numbers vary  so at 5 cycles normally a mite is going to produce about 6 more mites(again rough math)


As Bills Link this morning points out,  coupled with the VSH traits  more mites per cell may increase removal!  But it seems bottom line the concept of more mites per cell alone being the issue is probably not correct.  I need to read your link in depth!


Charles

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html