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 Jerry,
 
    In two cases, we have found swarms of bees as puddles of bees on the
ground.  I sampled one of them and found it riddled with varroa mites.  I
suspect it was an absconding swarm and destroyed it.
 
                                        Adrian
 
 
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I read this message and it struck home with me, as I recently found a swarm
which was on the ground. Although it appeared to be clustered around a small
branch which broke. This hive has almost all died, in spite of a mite strip,
AFB meds, and constant feeding of sugar water.
 
It was a small swarm, and now it is down to only a handful.
 
Any advise? How do you inspect for vorroa mites?
 
Thanks,
Chris