Peter  -> “You put some bees and wiper fluid in, shake it and separate out
the mites from the bees.”

 

I have observed variation in the number of mites visible in the bottom of
the jar influenced by the fluid used to wash them off.  – especially a water
based vers alcohol based.  Even a difference between 70% and 90% alcohol.
Some mites seem to float in a water based solution and hang up on the bee
bulk.  

 

This is probably significant when a beekeeper wants to sort thru a couple of
percentage points of infestation.  

 

Maybe we could compare notes sometime in August?  - wash several ½ cup bee
samples in a water based solution and then repeat wash the same bees with
alcohol.  The shaking time should be constant also.

 

 

n  Or when in haste we set the thresholds at - >  0, few, many, copious
(TNTC –too numerous to count)

 

DC


             ***********************************************
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