>
>
> >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.


Hi Peter, the above said, then allow me to make it clear that sugar shake
or alcohol wash WILL NOT provide detection before the infestation rate in a
colony has built up to the extent that some mites have already drifted to
other hives.

FOR DETECTION (as opposed to monitoring), you must sample the entire
cluster, not just 300 bees.  The easiest way is to use stickyboards with an
"accelerant" -- not just natural mite fall, since a single mite is too
easily missed in the hive trash.

The protocol would be to insert a clean stickyboard under each hive, and
then apply the accelerant to cause immediate mite drop.  The accelerant can
be powdered sugar, formic acid, amitraz, or perhaps essential oil.   Then
check the stickyboard for mites in a half hour to hour, depending upon the
accelerant.  This protocol will detect a very low initial mite infestation.

Similarly, I use Apivar strips to clear test colonies of all mites, then
can monitor the number of incoming mites if I check the stickyboard at
3-day intervals.  I can detect a single immigrated mite.  But this won't
work for your purposes, since beekeepers will tire of checking stickyboards
every three days, and hive trash will build up on the stickyboards.  So
once-a-month stickyboard checks with an accelerant would be best.


-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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