> The situation in A cerana appears to be a bit more complex to me, although I, as Pete am stuck with extrapolating from published papers.

Right, real life is always a bit more complex than our explanation of it. I am currently trying to fathom why drone brood trapping does or does not work, under what circumstances, etc. Anyone who has used this technique long term? If combined with hygienic bees, these two may be sufficient to keep mites in check. The chief drawback to biocontrol in this area seems to be the heavy re-infestation that apparently occurs in late summer as bees enter crashing hives, either to rob them or even just scouting to determine their defensibility and potential stores. I am just trying to collectively look into it, that's all. 

PLB

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