That said, I also often find side-by-side colonies with huge differences in mite levels, suggesting that either the low-mite hive is very efficiently thwarting mite reproduction (which I doubt), or that it somehow is preventing mite-infested bees from the neighboring hive from drifting in.
I have definitely not figured this out!
That’s one that has me baffled also, Last year I had one yard with 11 out of 12 at 1 or zero, and the last one at like 25 per 300 bees....
It lasted till winter then crashed ( I let it go)
Charles
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