I am just a backyard hobbyist, 2 hives. I am just getting back into beekeeping, after a hiatus of 9 years. Does the Varroa mite end up in extracted honey at all, i.e. dead mites in the combs? If so, does the honey need to be carefully filtered. In my earlier experiences (1981-1986), I would filter out obvious large bits of flotsam, dead bees etc, but never put my honey through a fine filter (i.e. 1 mm or less). Is that now recommended? What would a hobbyist use? My honey used to be so thick I cannot imagine it passing through a very fine filter! Thanks Ed ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ed Sterling, GPCC | ACTUAL quotes from my kids: "Daddy, hummingbirds Bolton, MA 01740 USA | help the bees put honey in the flowers!" "In the Phone/FAX: 508-779-6058 | daytime, the sun melts the moon into cloudpieces!" "[log in to unmask]" | "A snowman makes the quietest sounds in the world" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ultranet.com/~ed => info about collecting toys from 1950s/60s/70s such as playsets, Army toys, GI Joe, cowboy gun sets, building sets, etc!!