> >When the varroa reproduction rate drops off they're spending much more
> time riding on bees rather than being tucked away in cells.  This means
> that there will be an apparent spike in numbers if they are dislodged from
> bees and counted at this time.


Chris, I wish it were that simple.  Flip it around--a large part of why the
reproduction rate drops is because a greater proportion of the mites are
phoretic (the longer the phoretic period, the lower the rate of
reproduction), but this is because the ratio of adult bees to brood has
increased.  That doesn't necessarily increase the alcohol wash count.

So you've pretty much got it right, but the spikes that I'm speaking of are
above and beyond the shift due to the above.

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

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