Adrian Wenner wrote:
<< I live in Santa Barbara also and caught a swarm in one of my backyard
swarm hives. I anesthetized the bees and counted them, as well as the
varroa mites. The bees numbered only 2000 (quite a small swarm), with 56
mites among them.>>
This would demonstrate that swarms can carry mites which will then
re-establish them in the new hive.
It makes sense therefore to put an apistan strip into a newly established hive.
Paul Cronshaw, D.C.
Cyberchiro and Hobbyist Beekeeper
Santa Barbara, CA USA