> >What actually happens in this situation?  Does anyone study mites in
> wintering bees?
>

Allen, I've also been curious about this question, and have done the same
math.  I have not dissected the first patch of brood in winter, nor that of
nucs or swarms, but I certainly haven't noticed that it has a high
mortality, which I would think should be clearly apparent.  Implies that the
mites may hold off a bit, which would make evolutionary sense.

May depend upon the release of vitellogenin from the fat bodies as the
population of nurse bees forms in response to the release of brood
pheromone.

Randy Oliver

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