I've compared alcohol wash to sugar shake a number of times, using Dr.
Elli's method of allowing the bees to heat up, and various ways of shaking.
I generally get about 70% as many total mites as I do when I rewash the bees
in alcohol.

Re Allen's observation of technique for alcohol wash, I'm in total
agreement.  I've had a helper last week, and I was always able to wash more
mites off his shakes with a second wash.

Alcohol wash is much faster than sugar shake in the field, and as much as I
hate killing 300 bees, I REALLY hate killing 300 colonies by overlooking a
mite buildup.

As Allen inferred, the threshold numbers that I gave were for this time of
season--when mite counts peak.  I accept fewer mites earlier in the season,
or later.

Randy Oliver

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