>I think folks are making a big mistake belittling the work that is being
done. Before, everyone was lamenting the lack of money being spent on bee
research and now they are belly aching because we still haven't found out
what they want to know.

Hear, hear!  Major progress is being made, this is a difficult nut to crack!

Re thresholds, as Pete says, high mite levels used to not be that much of a
problem.  But something changed about ten years ago.

Re Allen's request for numbers, I can only speak for my own operation.  All
numbers are for alcohol wash of 300 bees from the broodnest.

I'm not concerned at up to about 6 mites (2% infestation).  By the time you
see 15 mites (5%) the colony is starting to have problems.  By 45 mites
(15%) is might be able to be saved.  By 60 mites (20%) it is walking dead.

In the low ranges, I look carefully at the brood.  If it is spotty, uneven
(agewise), or shows sick larvae, then you must get the mite level down!  If
the brood looks great (you must look very closely!), then that particular
colony is handling the viruses.

I have not yet been able to make any correlation in my operation between
nosema and hive problems, but spore counts of entrance bees rarely get above
10M, and then only temporarily.

Randy Oliver

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