I appreciate your not wanting to disturb the bees this time of year.  It
would be interesting, however, if, after examining cells and after an ether
roll, you were to put in a couple of Apistan strips and check the mite drop
after 24 hours then compare the results.  The nice thing about this method
is that it samples the entire hive.  I am not an expert but it seems to me
that 50 cells is about 2 square inches.
 
How mamy cells are there on a comb.  About 60 inches per side that might be
capped?  So you sampled 2 out of 120 square inches or 1/60 of the cells.
Would you have found 60 mites if you had opened them all?  I don't even know
if that would be a significant infestation but it would cause me to have
some concern.
 
I am not suggesting mineral oil is not a good treatment.  I am only
suggesting that we must be careful when measuring the success or failure of
a treatment.
 
>Last fall, when there was still Drones in the hive I removed a frame of drone
>comb, and opened about 25-50 cells to see if I could locate any varroa, and I
>only found one. I think that the varroa are under control at this point, and
>I did not use any Apistan in these hives.
>
>I will use Apistan, but only if the mineral oil starts to fail. I will use
>Apistan as a last resort to save a hive if infested, but at this point I
>think if I can go another year without a problem then I will think I will be
>able to go along time.
>
>BRIAN HENSEL
>MONTE RIO CALIFORNIA
>
>
Eric Abell
Gibbons, Alberta Canada T0A 1N0
Ph/fax (403) 998 3143
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