We're  putting the final touches on our Varroa Action Plan (Newfoundland and Labrador remains Varroa-free, to the best of my knowledge). 

Inter alia, we're going to recommend both a sentinel apiary program and a "passive surveillance" program.  Beekeepers will be trained in alcohol wash, sugar shake (for those adamantly opposed to killing bees), and screened bottom board (sticky board). Participants in the sentinel program will do alcohol wash and sticky board only.

I would like your considered opinions please concerning the number of colonies to test per apiary. I'm thinking one colony per five should be tested.  Therefore, you test two colonies if you have 10 or less in your apiary; you test 10 colonies if you have 100, etc.  Randomly selected, of course.

Remember that this is meant to be an early detection protocol, and hence we need maximum sensitivity in the method, while ensuring that it is simple for widespread application among all beekeepers.  We want to detect a single mite ASAP not do mite counts.

Thank you in advance to anyone who cares to respond to this post.

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