[cameron_b]

I don't know about removing mites.

From what I've seen the best practices are around ideas that seem like "the best defense is a good offense" -- or providing the bees the best possible chances and situation and letting them take care of themselves, which they do white well when fed a range of foods and not squeezed too tightly for profits and trucked across country.

Rev. Langstroth's work on this is dated ( 1850s and 1860s ) but still incredibly relevant. He's given a lot of credit for his work on moveable-frame hives, but 'd say he did a lot to advocate for the practice of bee keeping as a practice that could be engaged, as gardening, by anyone with interest.