> If you split ... you are automatically treating for mites by manipulation.

I am sorry, but this is load of hooey, for two reasons. One, if you follow this logic, any normal beekeeping activity (splitting, mite sampling, opening the hive) is a so-called treatment. Second, it doesn't do much. 

For example, I split a very strong hive last spring, by taking all of the brood and adhering bees, to make two new colonies (to which I gave mated queens right away). Supposedly, the hive that lost all its brood and half of its bees should have become mite free pretty quickly and stayed that way a long time. 

Of course, when the summer invasion began, the whole yard (12+) hives had mites at about the same levels. The two splits that got all the brood were somewhat higher (no surprise there). Of course, I treated for mites when they crossed the threshold. BTW, they all look great at this point (Feb 28).

PLB

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