Hello Joe & All,

> the OA treatment was done during a brood less period with the purpose of
'equalizing' the mite load and not with the intent
of eliminating the mite load. as mites would be
essential for conducting a mite test.

I believe the OA did eleminate the varroa load to a point the test proved
nothing. What was the varroa load in each hive as the test started?

Bob said:
>chalkbrood problem compromised the test.
Joe said:
This would not be the case because it was mentioned that "both groups were
affected by chalkbrood".

Maybe not to you but to a competent researcher the test was compromised.

Joe said:
 Likewise, weather conditions for example could not compromise the test
because it would affect both groups.

Weather yes! disease no!

Chalkbrood is a serious problem when in hives during testing. results can be
all over the place. I removed some chalkbrood queens for the same reason
earlier this year in tests I was running for a commercial beekeeper. I said
we would try again next spring to run the tests with a different queen line.

Joe the Norway tests would be considered primative by research standards no
matter what the testing was trying to prove! Small cell is not the issue
here but rather methods used!

My opinion is the OA treatment killed the varroa which made both groups have
low (almost none) varroa counts during the 2004 season.

Bob

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