white sheet of paper, cardboard, or corrugated plastic can be cut to cover most of the hive bottom. one side of the surface should be covered with a 1:1 mixture of cooking oil and patrolium jelly, or the surface can be sprayed with a thin coating of pam vegitable oil. a cover screen is not required but will improve the efectivness of the board.
i found this mite detection method on the ministry of agriculture, food, and fisheries, british columbia, canada website. anyone try this?
this site also has the icing sugar method, ond other good reading.
www.agf.gov.bc.ca/publicat/pubs_1.htmhit apiculture factsheet. :D