>
> >We have to ask, "Why are there sometimes few mites dropping when we know
> that there are many mites in the hive?".
>
> Roughly half the mites in natural mite fall are of mites freshly emerged
from brood, many of which die prior to feeding on bees.  Natural mite drop
largely reflects the number of bees emerging on a particular day.  Natural
drop is less when phoretic mites are actively entering large cohorts of
propupae.

Natural drop is more consistent when colonies are broodless, but that is not
when mite buildup is an issue.

 >Washes show numbers, but maybe drops show the age distribution and general
health of the mite population if we learn to read them.  Since they can be
down with minimum effort and intrusion if the proper hardware is in place
they seem to me to be the best way to X-ray the hive processes..

Could be, but for beekeepers with limited time and multiple yards, may be
impractical.

Randy Oliver

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