Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

[Gary]

Yep, I am going to harp on this subject over and over again!!!!!!

Post mite counts and method used to obtain said count!

You can cull some drone comb (just tell us how many cells and how many mites and the average # of mites per cell about 100 cells will do!

Estimats about 100 bees in a mesh covered jar sift a generous amount of powdered sugar through the mesh and send them on an amusement park ride for a few min. release thier dizzy butts back to the colony. fill the jar 1/2 with alcohol and strain through a white cloth and count mites.

Use a sticky board and powdered sugar treatment one time and count mite fall, the samre filtering process as above can be used if necessary.
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

With being at the top of the food chain comes the responsibility of protecting it! Not the right to destroy it.

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!

[Norm]

Some may find this useful.

https://secure.csl.gov.uk/beebase/public/BeeDiseases/varroaCalculator.cfm
_________________
Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[Gary]

I don't like the amount of guess work going into this "model" No two colonies are the same, Not enough hands on looking for the rise in mite fall which is unique in every colony. I would rather base my treatment timing on my own observations and teach new beeks how to do the same in the long run they will be better beekeepers.
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

With being at the top of the food chain comes the responsibility of protecting it! Not the right to destroy it.

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!

[Hartley]

Gary,

I mentioned in my earlier posts about the bee defecation that I had put a sticky board under the hive three different times this summer and so far not a single mite was found.

When I did these tests I did NOT cover the bees with powdered sugar. I did leave the board for 4 days and still no mites.

Is the sticky board test somewhat invalid if you don't coat the bees with powdered sugar?

David

[Greg]

Good question Hartley as Gord and I have experienced the same as you so far.

Might try the culled drone comb if I can find any near the edges. Do you freeze these before cutting open for counting?

If on my next sticky paper I don't see any... would it be a good idea to do some powdered sugar spraying anyways on 21 day intervals until winter hibernation?
_________________
Forward into the past;
Life as it should be.

http://cavalier.pointclark.net/blog/

[Norm]

No you don't need to sugar dust to monitor mite fall. They fall naturally at a very rough rate of about 1% per day (take this figure with a pinch of salt) but it does give a very rough idea of the amount of mites you have in that colony.

Sugar dusting and drone culling are both pretty invasive. If you are seeing no mite drop in your counts then I say don't do either until you find some.

Why take an aspirin just in case you might get a headache!
_________________
Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[Gary]

Norm is right on the money, its the NATURAL fall that coincides with grooming bees and the life cycle of the mite as Norm mentioned in another post.

Today at this point in time the mite count is the most accurate picture of what is happenong in your colony!
_________________
Gary
www.hirschbachapiary.com
gary@hirschbachapiary.com

With being at the top of the food chain comes the responsibility of protecting it! Not the right to destroy it.

Procrastination is the assassination of inspiration!