Varroa will leave a dead bee as soon as it can and transfer to the
     nearest live host but if the whole colony is dead and there is no
     opportunity to jump onto healthy robbing bees, the mites die too
     eventually and usually fall off. However, they can live without food
     for some time so it depends on how long your wintered hive has been
     dead as to whether washing in alcohol shows mite infestation. Alcohol
     washing of recently dead bees certainly can give a good indication of
     infestation levels. But it's too late!
 
     Hope this helps
 
     Max
 
 
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Doing a Post Mortem
Author:  [log in to unmask] at INTERNET1
Date:    24/03/96 19:37
 
 
I'm wondering if varroa mites are easily detached when found on/with
dead bees and if they will have stayed with their host to the end in
a dead overwintered hive.
 
Specifically, I am wondering if an alcohol wash of a sample of bees
in a dead wintered hive will yield useful data???
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>