REGARDING           RE>Used Equipment query
 
Stuart Grant writes:
>Today I purchased some equiptment from a couple who'd kept bees for a few
>years but whose charges died over the winter. They said the bottom of the
>hive was full of dead bees so I assume that the dreaded mite was the
>problem.
...
>My concern is that this equipment may raise the varroa count in my bees to
>an intolerable level before I can treat in fall.
 
The used equipment, even full of dead bees, will not contain living varroa
mites that could get into your other bees.  Varroa needs a living host, and
cannot survive on dead bees or in a beehive devoid of living bees.  The
varroa mites will all die as well.  However, you should nevertheless treat
for existant varroa in your other bee colonies.