Roy: An interesting test would have been just the use of the essential oils.
 Perhaps it was the Apistan strips alone that killed the mites.  I used
several delivery methods of essential oils throughout March and the beginning
of April here in Tennessee, no Apistan was used.  While the clusters remained
small, I detected a very low level of mites.  But as the hives powered up,
2-3 mites per drone brood cell began to show up.  Since I had two hives
perish rapidly by mid-summer last year from Paracitic Mite Syndrome, I lost
my nerve with the use of the oils and inserted some Apistan for a couple of
weeks before the onset of the honey flow.  Also there has been a report that
hives fed mint oil in sugar syrup were reluctant to accept caged queens.  Of
the four that I tried to introduce caged queens, two rejected the new queen.
 I have never had a caged queen rejected before.  I am all for an organic
means to control mites, but the cure has to work year round (not just in the
fall) and be conducive to total hive management (i.e. requeening)  Sincerely,
Bill ([log in to unmask])