>
> >If one has a hypothetical colony of 1000 bees and no brood in January - a
> count of mites would produce 100% infestation rate (1 to 1 bees to mites)


This is a good point, Peter.  Ellis' paper graphs of total mite level per
colony (including in the brood) and also the mite infestation of the adult
bees.  Both peak in May.

However, in November, when there was little sealed brood, and total mite
levels were at their lowest, the mites per adult bees spiked to high levels,
since there was no brood to hide in.

Mite counts taken from adult bees need always to have the amount of brood
present taken into consideration.

Randy Oliver

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