Hello Lloyd And All,

. > Drone cells are capped for 3 days longer than worker cells, and that >is
why the mites prefer them.
> With numbers like 1 in worker brood and 2 in drone brood, it is clear >why
mites have evolved to prefer drone brood.

Sorry I missed you  Lloyd when  you were in K.C.!   Lloyd and I rarely
disagree and I am sure Lloyd will agree with what I am adding.
The above is *one* of the theories as to why varroa prefer drone brood.
There are several other theories such as a possible difference in  growth
hormone between drone and worker larvae and a yet undiscovered trigger to
name a couple.  The key to varroa control might lie in finding why varroa
prefer drone brood.  I must add that Lloyd's hypothesis might be the correct
answer.   The key to why varroa reproduces less in the 4.9mm cell size
*might* be simply due to the shorter time to a worker emerging. Many 49 ers
(as they call theirselves)  report workers emerging  earlier than normal or
in other words a shorter capping time with the small cell size .
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri