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Hi Everyone,

This winter I was asked to write the chapter on nutrition for a veterinary textbook on honey bees to be published by Wiley.  Although the authors would receive no payment, it still ate up my time!  After I submitted my manuscript, I was asked to write another chapter on the queen.  Anyway,  I got behind, and apologize for not keeping up on updates at my website.

So here's my plan, I'm going to send three updates as we upload my articles published since February in ABJ.  

First up, I've revised the look of Randy's Varroa Model to make it more user friendly.  The treatment inputs are now directly below the dates on the graph.  Be sure that your browser downloads the 6 June version at http://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/

In answer to beekeeper queries, I ran some experiments about the longevity of Apivar strips, and any possible vapor action.  See the results at Questions on Amitraz.

Then I turned to pollen sub.  In my previous test of the pollen subs, natural pollen, despite having a lower protein content, seemed to outperform the best pollen subs, at least in the long term.  This made me wonder whether there was a limiting nutrient lacking in the subs.  I suspected that it might be either zinc or a critical sterol, so ran a field trial to find out.  Read about it at An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 1 and An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part .

I'll soon be sending out updates on two more series of articles, one on Reevaluating the Mite Wash, and another on Refining the Mite Wash.  
A spoiler -- Dawn Ultra dishwashing liquid, diluted at 2 tablespoons per gallon in water, works even better than alcohol!

Meanwhile, I've currently got over 450 hives distributed among three field trials:
  • A test for efficacy of summer mite treatments (while honey supers are on), comparing Hopguard III, Formic Pro (two application methods), and three application methods of oxalic acid in glycerin.
  • A test of the two commercial honey bee probiotics.  A 7-month trial, which will include genetic sequencing of the microbiomes.
  • Since there are two new pollen subs on the market, a Comparative Test of the Pollen subs.  I'm setting this trial up currently.
I'm also working on thermal treatment for varroa, and a few other things.  I thank you all for your financial support, which allows to to perform this research.

Happy beekeeping!
Randy
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