A few corrections to George Imirie's post (if I may be so bold).

In relation to alternatives to menthol treatments George wrote:
> switch to labor intensive use of grease patties from June to
> December and replacing those patties in the brood chamber every
> 2-3 weeks for 6 months.

Continuous treatment with vegetable oil patties was Dianna Sammataro's
original recommendation based on her doctoral studies on the effect of
said patties on T. mites' questing behavior.  She subsequently changed
that recommendation to treatment in times of declining bee populations
and confinement (fall/winter only).  She no longer recommends treatment
periods as George wrote.

Concerning V. mites, George wrote:
> the ONLY place that a female tracheal mite lays new mite eggs is in
> a bee larva cell about one day before that bee cell is capped ....

Actually, V. mites lay their eggs in cells AFTER they are capped.  She
enters the cell just prior to capping.  Egg laying comes later.

In the current issue of "Bee Culture" (May 2001) there is an article
written by John Harbo about his work with SMR (Suppressive Mite
Reproduction) bees.  The article contains a thourough (almost exhaustive)
summary of both bee larval/pre-pupa/pupal developement AND Varro mite
development cycles.  The article is highly recommended!  It is not yet
posted on http://www.Beeculture.com , which still has the April issue
as the current issue.

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!