>
> >Speaking of brood, what happens to the open brood when all this powdered
> sugar is flying about? Is there no mortality?


It depends upon how the dusting is performed.  If the dust is brushed down
through the top bars, little falls near the larvae (since they are
protected far back in the cells), and neither I nor other researchers
observed appreciable larval mortality, nor negative effect upon colony
buildup.

If the dust were blown in, then it would be more likely to affect larvae.

I hope that everyone understands that I am not trying to promote sugar
dusting for varroa management, since it takes a lot of work to have much
effect upon mites, unless the colony is broodless (at which time it is
often difficult to dust, due to weather or cold temperature).  Rather, I'm
trying to demonstrate how one can model the effect of any treatment upon
the varroa population in the hive.

And as one beekeeper noted off List, bringing to attention the potential
profound effect of mite immigration in the fall.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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