Normandy bees

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the sa

How does a sugar roll compare to an alcohol wash?

Same result - only with a sugar roll you don't kill the bees

 

[hemo]

As JBM has mentioned sugar roll is an ethical way of getting the same result with the bonus that the bees can happily return to the colony.
I see no need to kill bees just to test for varroa loading, the bees if as they should are taken from brood frames are valuable house bees and maybe some foragers.
If one had ten colonies to test then one would lose 3000 odd bees if using an alcohol wash, there is imv no place or need to use an alcohol wash.

 

[bpmurray]

Also under some pressure not to treat as the next beekeeper along, a french professional is organic and very successful

FYI not treating means he is not organic. Part of being organic is that you have to make sure your bees are as healthy as possible, something that almost always requires intervention. In fact, organic means everything except hard chemicals on the IPM pyramid, so it includes Apibioxal, Apiguard, etc. but not Apivar. And is there any tillage around you? If so, the bees are almost certainly not organic in the most basic way.