> If you somehow managed to breed a mite that easily reproduced in worker
> cells, then this mite would, presumably, be better able to adapt
> to breeding in 4.9 foundation.  That assumption of perfect kill of drone
> produced mites is quite a large one, however.

Greetings -

The "breeding of mites", at least when included with 4.9 cell size, has to
also include those changes that have taken place to both the bees and their
comb, as the two go hand in hand. You are not making changes in one while
the other remains static, as you are with straight drone brood removal.

Reports are now coming in from various people (me included) who have bees on
4.9 cell size, of worker brood being uncapped at the purple eye pupa stage
at the time when substantial mite levels are seen in drone brood. Also being
observed are drone pupa at the same purple eye stage or or late larvae stage
being uncapped and chewed on, with the top half gone. This is something I
have never observed prior to the use of small cell. The uncapped worker
brood does not get chewed on, just the drone brood.

Evidently this act of chewing out was written about in ABJ  published in
June, 1997 page 412. It is believed that bees will learn to control and
develop this trait when given the chance. It seems they treat the worker and
drone brood differently regarding varroa.

There are some pictures of this posted at:
http://www.beesource.com/mitechew/index.htm

Regards,
Barry