In a message dated 21/10/05 01:04:14 GMT Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

<<I've had managed colonies go up to 3 years without treatments  other than
screen bottom before being close to collapse.  The last two  years were marked
with deformed  wings.

Waldemar>>



I had a couple of colonies with the odd bee showing  deformed wings this
year, in their second season since the last treatment. I let  them go all summer,
then treated. Unfortunately I wasn't able to count  up the mitefall due to
illness, but it wasn't excessive. I'll be repeating  this, and hopefully I'll be
in a fit state to do it properly next time!

    I noticed that the dead mites slowly disappeared  from the trays; I
assume this was due to ants, which are always present in ones  and twos. I wouldn't
rely on mitefall counts being accurate if the trays are  left for more than a
very few days.

    Regards,

    Robert Brenchley

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