# test for mites



## abeille (Jun 12, 2003)

I do the sticky board test to count the natural fall of varroa mites. It is cheap and easy to perform, especially if you are using screened bottom boards. And it is pretty accurate.

HT


----------



## Charliebuck (Apr 17, 2003)

It's a good idea not to treat if you don't have mites, or the levels are low. The misuse of the chemicals uses for mite control is what had led to some resistance to them. Leaving them in to long, or using them when you don't have to. If it ain't broke don't fix it.


----------



## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

I sprayed the dry Oxamite strips with little bit water to keep them moist and place them between the brood. Its better than any other mite test I made before.
If the bees are infected with Varroa you will find the first dead mites on the sticky board after a few days. Even with a negative sugar roll test it dos not mean your colonies are Varroa free. Good thing, there is no resistant to this natural acid possible.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I agree a negative test doesn't mean there aren't any mites. But it means there aren't very many. A drop test is the simplest. A sugar roll test from bees in the brood nest is probably more accurate. The oxalic acid strips might work well, but you are supposed to have the supers off when you do it according the rules I've seen where it has been approved.


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

what is the sugar roll test?


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/tidings/btid2000/btdjan00.htm#Article2


----------



## bobbb (Oct 16, 2000)

how do you get 300 bees into a jar


----------



## Robert Brenchley (Apr 23, 2000)

I put a white painted board under the broodnest,leave it for a couple of days, and count the mites falling out. It's not particularly accurate, but its a rough guide.

------------------
Regards,

Robert Brenchley

[email protected]
Birmingham UK


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

most places sell sticky boards, can I use these without a screaned bottom board?


----------



## Iowabeeman (Mar 9, 2003)

An inch of bees in the bottem of a pint jar is about 300 bees. I like the sticky board as the most reliable indicator of mite load. My yards are usually in trouble if they are getting more than 20/day on a natural mite fall at the end of summer. The problem with sticky boards is that they require a second trip to the yard. This means we use the ether roll in most of our yards. Sticky boards are limited to the ones close to home.


----------



## abeille (Jun 12, 2003)

Greetings Swarm Trapper

You can use sticky boards without a SBB. You just have to put a kind of screening on top of it to allow the bees to walk on it and not stay glued on the sticky board. The ones I saw where sold with the sticky boards and were made of plastic. You then just slide it under the brood chamber for a few days, take it back and count the mites to find the dayly rate of dropping of the varroa mites.

HT

[This message has been edited by abeille (edited August 02, 2003).]


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

A large funnel is probably helpful. You could make one out of a plastic bottle with a mouth that is an inch and a half to two inces in diameter and cut the bottle off at about six inches. If you shake the bees off into a box and then dump them into the jar it's not too hard. I prefer the drop method. It's less stress on everyone.


----------



## mark williams (Jan 19, 2003)

this is a way a Commercial beekeeper told me he test for mites.although I've never tried it.
Smoke the bee real good,& he said good, take a brood frame that don't have alot of brood in it.(he said about the 3rd from center.)
Brush the bee's off- replace the top back on the hive- then hold the frame horizontally & slam it on the lid about 3 times.
If the lid is white most of them is.then you can see the mite's.
I was told that was better way than the roll test,But as I've said I've never tried it.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The nice thing about the sugar roll is it makes the mites let go.


----------



## Iowabeeman (Mar 9, 2003)

I've yet to detect a mite with the sugar roll. I'm sure this a problem with my execution but it doesn't work for me. 

we just run the jar across the frame and scoop the bees into the jar when gathering bees for the ether roll. If they are a little runny, just set the frame down for a minute and the bees will cluster up.


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

does the ethier roll need 300 bees to?and does the sugar roll hurt the bees?


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Heres another method:

BEE WASH: Collect 300 bee from brood nest, place in jar of soapy water, shake for 1 minute then pour bees into a double sieve. Wash over bees w/ fresh water. Top filter will catch the bees and bottom filter (use coffee filter) will catch the mites. Count mites, 15 necessitates treatment.
SOURCE: 2003 Brushy Mt Catalog, p 38


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Heres another method:

BEE WASH: Collect 300 bee from brood nest, place in jar of soapy water, shake for 1 minute then pour bees into a double sieve. Wash over bees w/ fresh water. Top filter will catch the bees and bottom filter (use coffee filter) will catch the mites. Count mites, 15 necessitates treatment.
SOURCE: 2003 Brushy Mt Catalog, p 38


----------



## abeille (Jun 12, 2003)

Hi Dave,

you have to do it twice?









Hugo


----------



## WineMan (May 16, 2003)

I find that I have to shake the bees REALLY hard when using powdered sugar. And to shake them for a fair amount of time before the mites seem to dislodge. 

I read that powdered sugar testing is not as effective as ether but that it was developed so that the bees wouldnt be hurt. I think that a fair number get messed up anyway by my shaking method. 

As a side note, I havent done any sugar or ether rolls lately but I am starting to see alot of mites on some colonies (on adults, brood and chewed up drones). However, on colonies with SBB which I was using to monitor mites, only seeing about 2 mites per day though. Guess I need more SBB.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The ether roll and soapy water kill the bees. The powdered sugar does not.


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

do I have to perform test on all my hives or a persentage


----------



## clintonbemrose (Oct 23, 2001)

I try to check each hive monthly using eather roll. I do this when going thru them (503 hives)
Clint

------------------
Clinton Bemrose
just South of Lansing Michigan


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

Hiw long dose it take to get 300 bees in to a jar?


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Hiw long dose it take to get 300 bees in to a jar?

Depends on the method. If you try to get them to walk in on their own, a very very long time. If you try to herd them, even longer. If you shake them off into a box and them pour them in the jar, not long at all.


----------



## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

with the sugar roll how many mites untill I treat?


----------



## Louise (Aug 18, 2003)

A beekeeper once showed me the sugar test and what he did was take the container and run it downwards on top of the bees (instead of trying to scoop them upwards). The bees literally dropped right in.

The article I have says that in the fall 0.03 or more mites per bee (9 or more from 300 bees) needs to be treated. Colonies with more than 0.12 will have increased mortality and colonies with more than 0.25 mites per bee will almost always perish thru winter.


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Greetings . . .

Here's some info from Beekeeping for Dummies, p177:

Use powdered sugar shake method twice a year - once in EARLY spring, once in LATE summer.

If you count ONE or more mites, proceed w/ treatment. Seeing dozens of mites means infestation has become significant. Take remedial action fast!

Good Luck!
Dave W


----------

