> Here are some tips I have found that have really helped me.
>
> - get set up with a good light source if your microscope does not
> have its own.
>
> - I never pin down the bee.  Rather I hold it in my hand and move it
> around to locate and focus.
>
> - Get a REALLY GOOD pair of tweezers.  This is crucial.  Mine come
> from a lapidary/jewellery supplier here in Edmonton.
 
Okay, I tried holding them in the fingers - much better!
 
I froze a few that looked really poor and then pulled them apart.  I
notice that after freezing and pulling apart that there appears to be
a membrane over the tracheae that make s them a little hard to see.
 
So far nothing - no mites.
 
I think I'll go back to alcohol unless someone knows something about
the freezing that I haven't taken into consideration.
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                    VE6CFK
Rural Route One, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada  T0M 1Y0
Honey. Bees, Art, & Futures <http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka>