>>>>what a researcher would do to even out the varroa load in a test<<<<

Since no one else has picked up on the thread, this "fool will rush in".
To my knowledge the simplest and most effective way to get "even"
populations of "whatever" in controlled research hives is to start with a
"super package" in the same way many queen producers generate mating
"nucs".  You create a single queenless unit, i.e. a big screened box sans
comb, composed of adult bees shook from some number of different hives,
spray them down with sugar water, let them sit for a day or so in a cool
dark spot "to equilibrate", i.e. commingle and share things, and then
stock some number of hives with the "mixed" bees.  Normally this would be
done on new equipment, or at least frames, and all hives would normally
be requeened with a "sister" queen group(s) to control for genetic
differences.

For the most part, I'm sure I am "preaching to the choir" but on the
offhand chance "inquiring minds really needed to know", this "venerable
font of useless information" will state the obvious.

Rip

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