Jerry, I am aware of this too but what do you think the difference is
between a hive that has had a winter brood break here in the North vs. a
package brood break?  Both have phoretic mites.  Why would a package fare
better its first year than an overwintered colony, which usually has mite
problems the summer after a winter broodless period (which is actually much
longer than the package brood break)?

Actually I think this one is easy to explain.  The reduction in mites froma
brood break comes from the overwhelming of the first larve after the break.
In warmer times (spring-fall)  the phoretic mites  all looking for a place
to lay cause 2-3 mites each in the first larve.

This does not happen after the winter break. The winter break also reduces
the number of mites a bit (due to age)  so the new larve are not quite so
overwhelmed.





Charles

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