# Randy Oliver’s Varroa Management Program



## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Can someone help me find the link to Randy Oliver’s excell spreadsheet which calculates varroa growth throughout the year 
Thx


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

is this what you are looking for ian?

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/randys-varroa-model/


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

randy's december abj article is entitled "Using the Mite Model".


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

That is it 
Thank you 
squarepeg


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Randy told me he spent over a year designing this Mite Model
I love the “CRASH” optics


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Do Varroa stay off of Adult bees and cycle back into brood cells until late Summer when they attach themselves to bees that they hope to Winter on? Is that why we don't see many mites in alcohol washes or ether rolls in the early Summer?


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

Perhaps with alcohol washes or ether rolls you should inspect under the bees abdomen for mites for this is where they feed on the bees fat. An observation hive is ideal for searching for mites in this position as large numbers of them seem to rest clinging to the glass with their abdomens easy to see. I spend a fair amount of time doing this with a magnifying glass and have seen mites feeding on a number of occasions and have wondered if OAV would get to these mites as they are 80% under a scale. However I have treated the OH a few times and at the moment have not seen any more and am not seeing any fall from the OH either.
Johno


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

Randy Oliver talked through this model a couple months ago at the GA Beekeepers meeting. One thing that stood out to me was the effect of even a very small number of nearby hives that are crashing due to mites. Just a few crashing hives nearby could create the need to treat earlier and more often.

He also said that alcohol washes early in the year tend to overestimate the actual mite load. Washes later in the year tend to underestimate actual mite numbers.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

GaSteve said:


> He also said that alcohol washes early in the year tend to overestimate the actual mite load. Washes later in the year tend to underestimate actual mite numbers.


Shouldn't someone be able to figure out how to adjust for that?


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