REGARDING           RE>Survival of varroa                                     
                                                                                
Whitney Cranshaw writes:                                                        
"Does any one know how long Varroa mites can survive in a non-occupied hive.    
The question concerns how long previously infested equipment needs to be        
stored unused to ensure that all varroa life stages have died out."             
                                                                                
I don't believe that there is any evidence at all that varroa mites are able    
to live without the bees for more than a few hours.  Therefore you don't have   
to worry about sterilization of hive equipment because of this pest.  Just be   
sure that the equipment is free of AFB.                                         
                                                                                
Ted Fischer