> I show the table as received. I don't find it easy to follow, but make
> an assumption I can read it.

I apologize.  Tabs were used in the creation of the table and different systems
show them differently.  I worked quite some time on it and still it did not
transmit well.

To remedy that, I have now posted the table at
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Formic/SugarShake.htm

In posting it, I have also corrected a couple of transcription errors.

> where
> were the bees taken from in the sample of a cupful? Was it done in
> exactly the same way for each hive? In other words is the sample
> representative of all bees. If the mites for example are mainly on young
> bees in the brood nest, then a sample from outside the brood nest would
> have much less mites...

The samples were taken from the brood nest by shaking brood frames.  At least,
that was what the instructions were.  Sometimes instructions are not followed
faithfully in the real world.

> The second problem is posed by the small number of mites in the samples.
> 12X0, 1x1, 0x2, 2x3, 1x4, 1x5, 1x8 & 1x28 indicate such a low number
> that sampling variations make 0 quite common. So, multiplying factors
> cannot be reliable. Working back from your apistan figures you expect 8
> from the Dixon Bush measurement, so 28 is larger by a factor of 3.
> Rattai is the other that is out of line with the ratio. The others are
> more or less what I would expect. Also, the ratio of 49 is very
> influenced by one count of 28! It would be much larger if this result
> were ignored.

Very true.  These types of things are tricky when the mites are few.  I was
curious to see what, if any relationship exists.  It appears that any mites in a
sugar roll indicate that there are quite a few mites in the hive.  A statistical
look at the numbers above might be illuminating, but I have not figured out
quite how to do that.

BTW, the amount of brood in our hives is quite low now, being from zero to a
frame or so.  That could also be a factor.  We are finding mites in sugar shakes
now in yards where the shakes indicated zero only a month or two ago.

We did not really expect a simple relationship, but one would have been nice.

allen
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A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Diary/