We seem to be having a bumper crop of Vespids in Montana, probably as a
result of the 100 inches of snow that insulated the ground and kept it
from freezing last year, followed by a moist spring with lots of growth
and lots of insects.
 
We also seem to be having a more or less varroa free year in Missoula,
Montana. We intentionally keep some varroa infested hives for our
research, but no sign of the beasts.  Nor have we seen any in our hives in
Maryland.
 
Lots of Bee List folks are reporting no mites - but we thought the same
about tracheal mites a few years ago and then found that we were wrong.
 
I'd be interested in reports of areas where varroa has been a problem this
year.  Are the successes of the various treatments due to the treatment or
just an artifact of a natural cycling in the varroa populations.
 
For those of you trying variuos treatments, are you seeing mites in your
untreated controls?
 
Thanks
 
Jerry Bromenshenk