Hi Stan,

My guess is there would be minimal concern importing tracheal mites in
queen cells.  The Tracheal Mite life cycle is mature mites leave
infected bees' tracheal and "hang out" (the actual term is "quest")
waiting for a bee of proper age (3 days or less from emerging from the
cell). When a bee of proper age comes by, the questing mite grabs on and
makes its way into the host's tracheal tube.  Crisco patties (solid
vegetable oil patties) work by impairing the mites' ability to detect a
bee of proper age.  They spend more time questing and less time finding,
which increases the likelihood that they will meet a natural demise
(mainly desiccation).  Since the queens have yet to emerge from their
cell, I don't imagine Tracheal Mites will be a concern.  I suppost a
mite could be questing on a queen cup, but would guess if so the mite
would die in the incubator.

Aaron Morris - almost positive, but not willing to bet Johnson!

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