On one of the three hives I keep in my back yard I have a screen insert
installed which I decided to leave on all winter, albeit with the back
closed.  This hive was requeened in June and treated with four apistan
strips (two per hive body) from July 17 through August 29.

We have been having unseasonably warm temps here in SW Missouri, so
yesterday I decided to uncover the back and install a sticky board to check
for mite drop.  After five hours I counted nine mites, most still alive, and
today, after 22 hours, counted 20 mites.  The 20 included the original nine
and almost all of the mites appear dead.  I have seen no ants carring off
dead mites so I believe this count is accurate.

This is many more mites than I expected to find and wonder what, if
anything, I should do.  It seems to have a good population is is just
finishing it's second gallon of 2:1 syrup with fumidil.  As far as I know
there are no reports of apistan resistant mites in this area.  When I
treated in July the initial mite drop was large, hundreds during the first
four hours.  I could treat again but the normal spring treatment for this
area is February and therefore only three months away.  I am also concerned
about causing mite resistance if I treat again so soon.  I believe
coumophous was recently approved for use in Missouri, so I suppose I could
try that.

Any suggestions?

Rod Rupert
Springfield, Missouri
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