Christina said:
<By the way, I noticed that it is a lot easier to look through tracheal tubes after the bees have been frozen first (read "winter dead-out" here).  I was astonished at the numbers of tracheal mites that are in tubes that aren't otherwise "cloudy", "spotted brown", or "black".  This observation isn't in the manuals, so some might find it interesting.>

I have not seen reference to it in the manuals, either, but an old issue of ABJ (I think...the issue is at work) notes a lack of obvious spotting of the trachae in some infested bees in a study that was done when Acarapis first invaded.  The study also found mites in other parts of the tracheal system and LACK of mites in some heavily-spotted tubes.
 I've noticed both in my bees, too.

dave.....

Dave Pehling
WSU Extension Snohomish Co.



             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html