Charlie, you and I have discussed the math off list previously.

I also had a hard time making it work, but with my new knowledge, it works
better.

Re an increase in repro rate--it actually drops as mites start entering
more than one to a cell.

There is plenty of hard data on the huge numbers of mites that get carried
in from elsewhere.  It is not uncommon for 500-1000 mites to immigrate in
late summer and fall.  Adding even 500 mites can be the difference between
surviving the winter or not.

And even if that hive survives the winter, it now starts the next spring
with a portion of those mites, thus setting the colony up for a crash the
next fall.

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

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