W. Allen Dick writes:
> The bees on the windows of my hot room are a random sample from all over my
> outfit.
>
> Can anyone think of a good reason that they should not be used?
 
    BASICALLY, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA FOR SEVERAL REASONS, FORAGERS LATE IN THE
YEAR IF THEY HAVE TRACHEAL MITES WILL BE AT THEIR HIGHEST INFESTATION WHEN YOU
PULL OFF HONEY. THE ONLY BAD REASON IS YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL WHICH YARD
THEY WERE FROM
 
> And (part B) how many should I have sampled by slicing, and by rolling?
> (They will have come from 1500 hives more or less.)
 
     DON'T SLICE FOR HEAVENS SAKE. PUT THEM ALL IN THE FREEZER IN A GLASS JAR,
THEN IF YOU MUST, YOU CAN DO THE ROLL IN A DAY SINCE VARROA WILL STICK TO THE
WET SIDES OF THE GLASS. YOU CAN PULL OFF THE HEAD AND FIRST PAIR OF LEGS IN ONE
PULL AND WITH A REASONABLE MICROSCOPE OR EVEN A GOOD LENS, LOOK DOWN THE
THORACIC TRUNK AND SEE THE TWO MAIN TRACHEAL TUBES. IF WHITE AND PEARLY, NO
TMITES, IF CLOUDY AND/OR DARK, YOU HAVE MITES.
 
I wrote this up in an article in Bee Culture magazine, which you can request by
emailing [log in to unmask]  ALos, my research is on Tmites and oil patties
which just came out in J. of Economic Entomology. If you would like a reprint,
please let me know and I can send one out.
 
DIana Sammataro
Ohio State Univeristy