# Powdered Sugar Mite Treatment



## Ski (Jan 18, 2007)

Just curious, did you do the 8 second treatment where you sift it over the top bars or did you pull each frame and dust each side?


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

Ski said:


> Just curious, did you do the 8 second treatment where you sift it over the top bars or did you pull each frame and dust each side?


I hadn't heard about the 8 sec. treatment. I just dump 2-3 cups over the brood nest and dust it around with a bee brush. I don't like taking the frames out and dusting them individually because most of the bees fly off.

-Nathanael


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## PAOuchHoney (Nov 25, 2007)

*Use starch free powdered sugar*

I remember reading someplace that you should use starch free powdered sugar. Took my girls to a beginners beek meeting yesterday and that was one thing that they stressed, starchfree. You can make your own by using either a blender or a coffee grinder, depending on what you want. I tried it last year and it worked for me.

David


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

I sift over the frame tops and make sure I get as much between them as I can. I also use very little smoke when I dust so that most of the bees are up top when the sugar hits them. One of these days, I'll pull frames and dust individually but dusting is only part of the mite control effort so I don't make it my number one chore. I also don't worry too much about starch free since I don't use that much sugar. I do make sure that the sugar is not too lumpy so that it won't cover the bees.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I remember reading someplace that you should use starch free powdered sugar. 

For dusting it doesn't matter at all. Plain old powdered sugar works fine. In fact the starch by itself would probably work fine as does flour.


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

i don't use a sifter. i do use a frame with #8 wire over the top of the hive. this year i try using a frame with window screen on it. starting in march i dust each hive about once a month with about one cup powdered sugar per ten frames/bars. for tbh's i make about a 3/8" gap between each bar and dust through a screen just like a lang.


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## beehoppers (Jun 16, 2005)

Starch free....? I don't know but when I did inspection yesterday I found they had packed some of it in cells for their use...


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

I find it helpful to sift the sugar once prior to sifting over the frames. You need less sugar for the same volume and I think it gives better coverage.

I use the cheapest 10X powdered sugar I can find.

Personally, I would not pull frames and drop sugar directly in the brood cells. I would think it might desiccate or suffocate the open brood. Besides I don't think it's necessary. Dropping it straight down between the frames seems to be very effective and doesn't take long to apply.


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## Aisha (May 2, 2007)

GaSteve said:


> Personally, I would not pull frames and drop sugar directly in the brood cells. I would think it might desiccate or suffocate the open brood.


Steve, I initially had the same thought, but then I figured the nurse bees that take care of the brood would lick the sugar off the brood. The bees do like to eat the powdered sugar as a snack.

I don't see any dead larvae getting dragged out after dustings either. 

On the other hand, I use a baby powder bottle to get a thin, very fine vapor. I don't just dump it in really thick. That could be bad.


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## pcelar (Oct 5, 2007)

Check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7C_pV9ig4c


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## Cyndi (Apr 26, 2005)

If you guys really want to be organic, you can buy organic powdered sugar. That's what I do now. Although...I'm sure as my apiary expands....that will change,


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

I tried that kind of sifter once. It broke on the first hive. I much prefer the simple sifter which you hit against your palm to shake the sugar out -- no moving parts to break. The old timey ones with the hand crank would probably work well too.


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