It was 102 actually, should have been specific.
No it wasn't. No point in trying to be so specific. For a start it was 102, plus or minus your counting error. That result would, of course, have been the minimum; you may have missed some - get my drift? Specific claims like that are always open to error.
100 mites around now in a strong colony would not worry me (read your FERA publication on 'Managing Varroa'). Later treatment, as it came necessary, would take care of the bees.
I happen to prefer other treatments when, deemed necessary, to probable unnecessary oxalic acid treatments. My choice. I cannot attribute more than one winter dead-out to varroa over the last 5 years or so - and that one particular loss was as likely something other than varroa related.
Yes, that is 100 mites that will not multiply in the colony, but they were never likely to kill a strong colony over the winter period. There is the problem that arises; some say you must do winter oxalic trickling - I don't. You can if you wish - that is your choice - but there are other ways, than oxalic acid trickling in the depths of winter, to maintain healthy bee colonies. The only thing I object to is when they say it MUST be done to save your bees. Just simply not true.
