> In a conversation with Diana Sammataro last year she
> mentioned that Varroa (and I believe mites in general) tend to be a bit
"leaky".
> Good air flow when a mite is "questing" for a host could lead to a higher
mortality
> rate.

I think you mite be confusing your mites here.  Diana works mostly with
tracheal mited (her licence plate is ACARPIS).  The questing study was her
graduate thesis on Acarpis woodi (tracheal mites).

> I am considering an experiment where I put in a sticky board
> and lift the brood frames one at a time and spray them with sugar water to
induce
> grooming. Very labor intesive but if I find a high mite drop it may be
> something to add to SOP for a hive inspection.

Less work to test using the powdered sugar method.  It's similar to the
ether roll method, but rather than ether you use 1 tsp of confectioners
suger.  Using a standard mason jar with the lid replaced by a screen
(standard window screen is fine) held in place by the lid collar, shake the
bees and confectioners sugar to coat the bees.  Then turn the jar over and
shake it onto a white sheet of paper.  Mites will fall through the screen
and you can count them immediately.  Best thing is your bees will be
unharmed and can be released back into the hive.  It was stated (but not
recommended) that you can even inadvertently include the queen in your
sample without harming her.  There was a very impressive demonstration of
this method at EAS revealing MANY mites from what appeared to be a populous
and healthy hive.

Aaron Morris - thinking there's more than one way to test a mite!