> In Italy bottom screen counts are more commonly used. As a treatment
> strategy we mostly rely on a winter "silver bullet" treatment and a
> "buffer" treatment in summer.

PMFJI, but what do you have these days for a sliver bullet?  We need 
one.  Two would be better.

Right now, here in Western Canada, we have Apivar (Amitraz) and it is 
working miracles.

We also have oxalic and formic, but they are more like lead bullet. 
They don't always kill the vampire mite and if we rely on them, we live 
in constant fear.  Amitraz right now is the silver cross (bullet) that 
repels the vampires.

> That's why I'm very interested to your experience about
> thresholds.

Me too.  I'm increasingly thinking "zero" is the best threshold.

> I feel it is very important to monitor the
> apiary infestation with a quick, reliable method, in order to adapt the
> mite control strategy to the actual scenarios.

Agreed.  Drops are great if you are set up to do them without any effort 
-- and hell if you are not.  I am really conflicted on this and will 
write a post capitulating to Randy's opinion on this if I get the time, 
but maybe later.  I have to wash my hair,

> I'm planning to check the efficacy of the protocol we use for sugar
> shake (Lee et al. 2010, JEE) against alcohol wash. We need to know the
> percentage of mites dislodged by sugar and its variability.

I'm thinking that all these monitoring methods are flawed and that we 
need to shoot first and ask questions later.

So much for IPM?

Anyhow, where are you in Italy?  It has a varied climate.

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