Tim, natural mite fall (stickyboard count) largely reflects the number of
mites emerging from brood, as very few drop from adult bees.  I suspect
that it was about timing--was the last of the brood emerging when you took
the baseline counts?  Smoking and disturbing the hive can also affect
natural mite drop.

However, I would certainly have expected drops to increase due to at least
some of the treatments!


> A small jar of bees as representative of the whole population makes me
> nervous.


My own data, and that of others indicates that alcohol washes are very
consistent, esp. if you allow the older bees to fly off from the tub into
which you shook the bees.

--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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