# "MiteNot" project



## Nopes67 (Jun 1, 2014)

My local club told me about this website as I am up in the air about treating bees. Thought I would pass it along....

http://www.eltopia.com/mitenot/


----------



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Hmm interesting. Sounds too good to be true. Time will tell. Thanks for sharing. G


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

marla spivak sounds impressed with it. i didn't realize she was at the university of minnesota. looks like they offer beekeeping courses there too.

http://www.beelab.umn.edu/


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

What is the heat source?
Why wouldn't the heat cause damage to the bee pupae?
Interesting idea. We will see where this goes.


----------



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Im with you Mark, it does sound interesting. I gave em my email address. I will be interested to see.G


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Seems like electricity would have to come into the mix somehow.


----------



## TalonRedding (Jul 19, 2013)

sqkcrk said:


> Seems like electricity would have to come into the mix somehow.


Agreed. Do you recall the Mite Zapper?


http://www.mitezapper.com


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

After reading the MiteNot material, and considering how the MiteZapper works, it seems to me that the Mitenot system would be a more refined version, heating the brood cell enough to kill the mite, but not the bee pupa. Obviously electricity (likely from a battery) will be required.

Also note that the MiteNot material speaks of only having one device per hive. My guess is that this would be a 'drone frame' similar to the MiteZapper, and the expectation is that enough mites will be killed in the drone cells that having every frame in the brood area be a MiteNot frame is not required. There would still be mites in the hive, just less mites as they show a preference for breeding in drone cells, and therefore those that chose to breed in the MiteNot frame would be eliminated.

Given that the MiteNot device is still being researched/developed, I would expect that there is a relatively sophisticated _series _of sensor/controller/heater combinations spread all over the frame. These would turn on/off individually based on the condition of the brood cell(s) covering that portion of the device.


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Nopes67 said:


> My local club told me about this website


Why would they have told you about this? It's not even a reality yet. May never be a reality. You better look into other options.

Under "The Problem" on their website, they go right into "CCD as a serious problem." That smells fishy right there.


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

TalonRedding said:


> Agreed. Do you recall the Mite Zapper?


Yes, and have you heard of anyone who is using it?


----------



## Nopes67 (Jun 1, 2014)

Barry said:


> Why would they have told you about this? It's not even a reality yet. May never be a reality. You better look into other options.
> 
> Under "The Problem" on their website, they go right into "CCD as a serious problem." That smells fishy right there.


Barry, it was for information only. They did tell us it was in development stages. And up until this post, I didn't realize there was something similar on the market.


----------



## ordy28 (Sep 10, 2013)

Nopes67 said:


> Barry, it was for information only. They did tell us it was in development stages. And up until this post, I didn't realize there was something similar on the market.


Don't sweat it Nopes67. It's impossible to come on this site and not get deflated, even by the owner of the forum obviously. :bus Happened on my first post. Accused of being a vendor for something I was trying out from a guy that came to our beekeepers club and spoke. :thumbsup:

Why is that fishy Barry? :s:kn:

Bee clubs are personable in a lot of cases. So they mentioned something they see being test or tried to their folks.

Thanks for the info Nopes. It'll be interesting to follow. Always gotta be impressed with innovation and trying new things whether they work out or not. Wouldn't be America without folks like that. 

By the way, love you're part of the country. We vacation up there every summer. If not for the winters, I would have been a MN resident by now. Northern hospitality at its best!!


----------



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

You're free to interpret my comments as a deflation device, but it has nothing to do with the OP and everything to do with the claims on the website. It sounds like the OP is just starting out and I am perplexed why he/she would tie "I am up in the air about treating bees." to the website as it isn't even a product that is available. Why does CCD sound fishy to me? Because I don't see factual basis for such a statement as this: "Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a serious problem threatening the health of honey bees and the security of the global food supply." And when such statements are used to promote a product, it smells to me.


----------



## rookie2531 (Jul 28, 2014)

I have heard that mites will die 1-2 degrees more than 93 and that's how the pereni hives are surviving without treatment. Just thought i would catch the bus too,


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Here is the thread _ordy28 _is referring to above:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?289034-Beetle-Baffle-Review&p=998378#post998378


Beesource has members with a variety of diverse opinions, and some of them are quite eager to get _the cart before the horse_! 

Short of a completely moderated forum, where all posts are vetted before they are distributed, not much can be done other than react _after _the cat is out of the bag.:lookout:

If you disagree with comments posted by someone else, say so, and show how your position is closer to the _real _situation.


----------



## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Barry said:


> "Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a serious problem threatening the health of honey bees and the security of the global food supply." And when such statements are used to promote a product, it smells to me.


I read that independent from your input, and my internal red flag was thrown. It suggests to me that either the developers have information that the rest of us don't, or are trying to leverage on the fear of the big bad wolf, or are blatantly trying to create hype for their concept based upon unfounded associations. I think they were ill-advised to make such linkage. That said, if such a product can be produced, AND represents a viable, cost-effective way to manage varroa, then great. Unfortunately, at this point, it seems like a LONG way from prototype to a commercially viable product. Don't get me wrong, if this can work to kill varroa without killing brood and can do so economically, then great, but if this is just another Mite Zapper, well I think the market has spoken.


----------



## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

Errrr....in this case she is a researcher whos department is partnered with the manufacturer. ...so she endroses a product that she hasn't finished evaluating (which her dept is getting funded to research), and uses her credentials as a scientist to imply scientific merit to a product (not just a concept) without offering any science (or any data). 



> Eltopia’s ‘MiteNot’ project is the most innovative and holds the most promise to turn the bee crisis around than any other idea that has come along in a very long time — maybe ever.
> MARLA SPIVAK
> Distinguished McKnight University Professor Apiculture/Social Insects, University of Minnesota


.....is quite a statement. Someone with Marlas credentials should stick to science when speaking about science as a scientist.


squarepeg said:


> marla spivak sounds impressed with it. i didn't realize she was at the university of minnesota. looks like they offer beekeeping courses there too.
> 
> http://www.beelab.umn.edu/


----------



## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

kinda how it struck me too dean.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do you recall the Mite Zapper?

It kind of sounds like a low tech version of the Mite Zapper. Hardly a new concept nor a revolutionary one...


----------



## Nopes67 (Jun 1, 2014)

ordy28 said:


> Don't sweat it Nopes67. It's impossible to come on this site and not get deflated, even by the owner of the forum obviously. :bus Happened on my first post. Accused of being a vendor for something I was trying out from a guy that came to our beekeepers club and spoke. :thumbsup:
> 
> Why is that fishy Barry? :s:kn:
> 
> ...


Ordy..I do extensive travel around the US for my business and I wouldn't trade MN weather for anything. I suppose I feel the same way about your summers (to hot/humid for my blood) as you do about our winters. BUT remember, with your summers, you can only take so much clothing off before you get thrown in jail About the only thing I'd get rid of is our state bird, the mosquito!


----------



## Nopes67 (Jun 1, 2014)

Barry said:


> You're free to interpret my comments as a deflation device, but it has nothing to do with the OP and everything to do with the claims on the website. It sounds like the OP is just starting out and I am perplexed why he/she would tie "I am up in the air about treating bees." to the website as it isn't even a product that is available. Why does CCD sound fishy to me? Because I don't see factual basis for such a statement as this: "Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a serious problem threatening the health of honey bees and the security of the global food supply." And when such statements are used to promote a product, it smells to me.


Actually Barry I did post in the bee forum under "not good" that this was my first year. And yes I am up in the air about treatment only because there is just as my pros to it as there are cons. I thought I would post re-post the link in a separate thread (I thought I had posted in under the "bee" forum) only because others may not read my original post...just trying to help. I'm not a tree hugger but I am careful about the pesticides I use on my land and around the house. A lot of what I have read makes sense on both ends of the argument. I'm guessing it all depends on what side of the fence you want to be on. I'm not going to just throw something in my hive without reading about it and know what the pros and cons are from the result. I kinda made that mistake with my first hive this last year and pretty much wiped them out due to my lack of inexperience. Hence the reason I enjoy reading this website. As discouraging as it was, I'm not ready to thrown in the towel just yet.


----------



## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

I first heard of this from "Kim Flottum" of Bee Culture "Catch the Buzz" on Jan 28th and I told our club about it along with a word of caution (how many times in the last 20 years have I heard about the silver bullet for mites) "_MiteNot_" mite work and mite not work :lookout:


----------



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Nopes67 said:


> Actually Barry I did post in the bee forum under "not good" that this was my first year. And yes I am up in the air about treatment only because there is just as my pros to it as there are cons. I thought I would post re-post the link in a separate thread (I thought I had posted in under the "bee" forum) only because others may not read my original post...just trying to help. I'm not a tree hugger but I am careful about the pesticides I use on my land and around the house. A lot of what I have read makes sense on both ends of the argument. I'm guessing it all depends on what side of the fence you want to be on. I'm not going to just throw something in my hive without reading about it and know what the pros and cons are from the result. I kinda made that mistake with my first hive this last year and pretty much wiped them out due to my lack of inexperience. Hence the reason I enjoy reading this website. As discouraging as it was, I'm not ready to thrown in the towel just yet.


I dont want to speak for anyone but I think Barry simply was saying he has seen false hope sold many times in the past. It isnt personal. Dont give up on the bees, sorry about your hive, I saw the thread, get a nuc or package and get em rolling this spring again. Might have been the first, but more than likely wont be the last you lose, part of the gig. Good Luck. G


----------



## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

I get suspicious when a company claims their product is great, but they don't have anything on the market.


----------



## Nopes67 (Jun 1, 2014)

biggraham610 said:


> I dont want to speak for anyone but I think Barry simply was saying he has seen false hope sold many times in the past. It isnt personal. Dont give up on the bees, sorry about your hive, I saw the thread, get a nuc or package and get em rolling this spring again. Might have been the first, but more than likely wont be the last you lose, part of the gig. Good Luck. G


Nothing personal taken.


----------



## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

ordy28 said:


> Don't sweat it Nopes67. It's impossible to come on this site and not get deflated, even by the owner of the forum obviously.


No need to bring the New England Patriots into this discussion


----------



## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

kind of an old thread, but a typical debate.
as a technitian, I have done the same task over & over for 25 years. To relieve the boredom, & try to stay competitive, I keep trying to find ways to shave a few seconds off the process any where I can. Every 5 years or so something works, & I /we keep doing it.
Fiddling for fishing worms & drumming to catch swarms sounds pretty goofy too, but apparently it works for some.
I under stand product development includes market development & "funding development", so publicity & "buzzwords" come in to play. Too bad the marketing folks usually arent techy's. Just not accurate.
And allegedly every rumor has a grain of truth some where, if we can filter it out & find/use it.
Soooo, inventors, scientist, & goof balls ( like me ) keep swinging.
When you find something, go for it.
Thanks ... CE


----------



## bdouglas (Dec 18, 2014)

deknow said:


> .....is quite a statement. Someone with Marlas credentials should stick to science when speaking about science as a scientist.


Maybe she is friends with Dr. Oz


----------



## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

Sounds like someone is just speculating out loud.

From the press release:

_the board’s embedded sensors detect temperature fluctuations and other environmental data, then transmit it via a 3G cellular connection to Eltopia’s cloud-based BeeSafe application. 
Based on sensor data, BeeSafe can detect the optimal moment when female mites have laid their eggs, but before the male mites have fertilized them. It then sends a command back to the MiteNot frame to heat up just enough to sterilize the male mites without harming the bees._

Why the need to be sensing the environment and sending signals to and from the Cloud and with a special app to run the circuitry? Since the heat doesn't hurt the bees, just do a heat cycle every 24 hours. Because the foundress mite lays one egg every 24 hours, that would steralize any male mite before it could fertilize his sisters. 

As described, it is way more complicated then it needs to be indicating the designer doesn't really know what he is talking about.


----------



## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

shinbone said:


> (stuff removed) As described, it is way more complicated then it needs to be indicating the designer doesn't really know what he is talking about.




Possibly the cloud connection is to keep the beekeeper paying his monthly subscription.
The check bounces, mite killer quits working 
sounds like you could design a better solution for us, maybe even a DIY.

CE


----------

