Our local beekeepers (RI/MA) are reporting alarmingly high mite counts post-treatment this year. We've had temps in the high 60s-70s for the last week and a half, so a lot of folks are in their hives later in the year than usual. The high counts seem to be regardless of specific treatment used, and not relegated strictly to beginners. 

A few questions  have arisen as a result of this. 

1) What is the optimal time after treating to retest for efficacy? Scanning through the HBHC varroa guide there are recommendations in several sections to retest after treatment, but not how soon after. A week? Two weeks? 

2) Is there any way to quantify reinfestation via robbing/drift? I have suspected that colonies with consistently monitored and controlled mite populations all season long who suddenly see a dramatic increase in late summer/fall (especially coming out of treatment) may be a result of robbing. In other words, is there a way to distinguish between a high count as a result of treatment that didn't work vs the proverbial mite bomb victim?


Scott
Johnston, RI

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