PLB wrote: "The mites are pretty dormant over winter,....."

Doesn't that depend on where you are? It is rare in my part of the UK for hives to be broodless and probably much rarer for Trevor in Australia.

PLB also wrote "If the mites can't reproduce, they quickly die off."

Our Bee Inspector tells me that they can live for several months without reproducing if no brood is available.

Chris






-----Original Message-----
From: Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 3:29
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] Apidologie, August 2011


> I note that the measurements were only taken over one summer.  I have seen 
ther work that also is on this short time frame. 
In the life of a colony, a whole season is adequate to determine if there is a 
ignificant effect, IMHO. The mites are pretty dormant over winter, but the 
ollowing spring the colonies could be all over the map, due to factors 
nrelated to mites. You sort of have to start with a baseline of equal colonies 
n spring.
> I note it says they measured mite loads but there is no reference to 
eproduction in the cells. 
If the mites can't reproduce, they quickly die off. If they are building up at 
he same rate as the other hives, one can reasonably assume that they are 
eproducing normally and will continue to do so. I think you are throwing in 
ome red herrings. Tom Seeley clearly states he was *hoping* it would work but 
t flat didn't do the job.
PLB
             ***********************************************
he BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
ISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
ttp://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
ttp://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm


             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm