# Powder Sugar Shake Mite Count



## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

You want to shake or brush the bees for a powdered sugar roll off of brood, and the brood nest is pretty consistently active throughout the day. 

Let's get this straight ... your goal is to put 300 bees in a jar to take to an evening demo? Poor things! In a 1 qt mason jar, that's a 3/4" deep layer of bees in the bottom. On its side there should be more room. 

Sugar water on paper would feed them but would make a mess when you try to add powdered sugar. They should be able to go a few hours without food. If you smoke them a few minutes before gathering them, they should gorge on honey and not need any food for the rest of the evening.

This will be stressful, but not as stressful as an alcohol wash.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

As long as they don't overheat and have ventilation, I would think bees could easily go half-a-day without food.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Seems to me like you should put this demo off until you can do it out in the apiary. Gathering the proper number of bees and how one does that is crucial to the technique. Dumping sugar and shaking is pretty simple in contrast.

You could always simply have a jar of beans instead of the bees, if all you are showing is applying the sugar and how to shake the jar and dump the sugar through the screen onto a plate.


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

I would imagine that the idea is to demonstrate several things... Demonstrate the level in the jar that approximates the recommended 300 bees. To show them maybe how hard to shake the jars. Point out to the members what to look for on the plate. Show them basic mite identification versus the other "specks" on the plate. Maybe how to count by "units"....pile of five mites here, a pile of five mites there. 

I agree that doing the demo in the bee yard starting at specimen collection and continuing to powdered bee release would be good. But, it might be that members' schedules keep them from getting together during daylight hours. It could also be used as a teaser to convince some of the members to adjust their calendars for an on-site live demonstration.

I would carry all of the equipment involved along with an empty comb to "demo" the collection aspect of the shake.

Other than being a hassle to haul the bees and make sure they survive for the demonstration I don't see why this wouldn't be a positive thing.

Ed


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

collect the bees at the last minute. no food needed for at least 24 hours or more. dump them back on their doorstep as soon as you can after the demo.. mark is right to get consistent acurate results do it at the hive. the sample should be from the brood area. do not get the queen.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Intheswamp said:


> Demonstrate the level in the jar that approximates the recommended 300 bees.


Which is best done for consistency by shaking bees off of a comb into a plastic dish pan and scooping up a 1/2 cup measuring cup full of bees
and dumping them into the jar, quickly putting the cap on and then dumping 2 tablespoons of sugar into the jar through the screen.

To answer the original question, it doesn't really matter that much, but later in the day, if possible, would be better for the bees. Leave off feeding them in the jar and keep the jar in a dark and cool place. I think that would be best. Don't throw the jar of bees up on your dash board. Which may go w/out saying.

There are Youtube videos on this, aren't there? I think there is probably a video demonstrating this very thing at oba.org tech transfer program.


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## Mimzy (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks everyone! 

I know doing this in my bee yard would be best- but getting everyone here would be impossible. The bean idea is great, and I'm going to use that sometime, but tonight I'm going to stick with bees, since that is what I promised.

I've got my car packed with every thing I need to take so I'm going to try and gather the bees at 5pm. I'm going to skip feeding them as they should survive a few hours and after the demo they can lick the sugar off one another. I could at that point give them a few drops of water- There is no way this can be any harder on them then when you get a package of bees in the spring, and they've been caged for days. 

I know to get the bees from the brood area and not to get the queen. I've done this before in the bee yard, just not as a meeting demo. I think people get more out of it with the real thing (bees). Seeing the plate with powdered sugar and mites showing up shows them what to look for. Not that I want to hurt my bees but 1/2 cups out of my hive should not break me. I think they will survive.

My reason to get it done early is because I'm always soaking wet by the time I'm done in the bee yard- today I can't even walk to the mailbox without being soaked it's so humid. 

The first time I watched someone do this in person I was amazed at how simple it really is and I want others to understand they are capable of doing it too. I'm going to pass out squares of #8 hardware cloth so people can go home and do this. New beekeepers don't have that stuff laying around the house. 

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments and ideas.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Neat idea! In our area we tried every hardware store in town and nobody had #8. Finally went half way across the county to score some. You'll save a bunch of people hours of wasted time.


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## Mimzy (Sep 17, 2013)

After thinking about the beans for a future demo- Listen to what I've come up with!!!!!

1/2 cup of Golden raisins for the bees and 10-15 poppy seeds for the mites. I think it will work like a charm!


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

mathesonequip said:


> collect the bees at the last minute. no food needed for at least 24 hours or more. dump them back on their doorstep as soon as you can after the demo.. mark is right to get consistent acurate results do it at the hive. the sample should be from the brood area. do not get the queen.


What difference does it make if you do the sugar shake at the bee yard or 50 miles away? Will the bees mysteriously eat the mites or something while they're traveling? Seriously, I'm curious why the locale of the test would make a difference. The bees have been collected (for either local or remote testing), the sugar is applied (as it will be at either location), the jars shaken (as they will be at either location), the mites counted (as would be done at either location), etc., etc.,. 

If two identical samples are taken in the same fashion from the same area of brood comb what difference will it make where the actual shaking and counting is done at for the two samples?...a similar number of bees and mites should be in the jars at either locale shouldn't they??? Even standard "medical" blood samples for humans aren't required to be drawn at the testing laboratories, the only requirement being that the samples are handled properly. 

:scratch:

Ed


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

Mimzy said:


> After thinking about the beans for a future demo- Listen to what I've come up with!!!!!
> 
> 1/2 cup of Golden raisins for the bees and 10-15 poppy seeds for the mites. I think it will work like a charm!


Now there's thinking outside the (raisin) box!!!!!! 

Ed


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## Beeonefarms (Nov 22, 2013)

Yeah raisins ... +++++


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## Mimzy (Sep 17, 2013)

Just to let everyone know I collected the bees at 5pm. I cut a circle of paper towel to fit over the #8 screen and drizzled only enough sugar water over it, to stay in the towel. They sat in the cool house for 35 minutes, then I drove to the meeting. They were well and happy and buzzing very loudly (truly not so happy), they made an impression when brought into the meeting. Reminded me of kid's Show and Tell. As they were passed around and you could hear "Oh this is so cool". Fun coming from a group of bee keepers that have bees of their own!

The demo went great! The people that have never seen this done or have not done a sticky board (which I had a sample of from last week's drop count) were amazed!

I have one hive very, very low on mites and one that is teaming with mites. The sticky boards and the sugar shake supported one another with the counts on the more infested hive showing high levels with both methods. 

I offered screen to anyone that needed it and white plastic "cardboard" sheets were passed around so people could make sticky boards. I hope some go home and do at least one of the test this week. Seemed like it left an impression, more people are thinking about mites. Many people didn't really believe you can see them and now they are believers and feel comfortable trying it themselves. 

Thank you all for helping!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Congrats


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

:applause:
Well done!!!

Ed


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## RD35 (May 20, 2014)

Hey Mimzy
I am just northeast of you by about 80 miles! After reading this post, I am going to stop by the hardware store for some #8 screen. I will use one of my wife's canning jars to make a shaker. I have some left over sheetmetal trim that will make a great bee-drop pan/funnel. Now, just gotta get out to the hives and do the tests! My sticky board 24 hour test earlier this week yielded 8 mites on one hive and 15 on the other. As I now realize how inaccurate this sticky test can be, I am using it only as an indicator that I need to do the powdered sugar test for more accurate measurement. This is all new to us and we (wife and I ) are having a blast learning about it all!!!
Thanks!
Thanks!


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

If I am understanding things correctly, it doesn't have to be #8 screen. A mesh size that the bees can't pass through, but the mites can, will work. Standard window screen would work.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

That would have to be pretty open window screen.

It might work to shake, lay the jar on its side, and let the bees crawl out, then dump the sugar and mites when they are out. I tend to do that anyway, since there's usually some sugar left in the jar when I'm done, and I don't want to dump any mites back into the hive.

The thing about the #8 hardware cloth is that no beek should be without it. You can make so many things from it. Screened bottom boards. Quilt boxes. Robber screens. Queen cages, covering vent holes, guards for top feeders, and particularly things you just dreamed up that there is no name for yet.


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

"_That would have to be pretty open window screen._" To pass mites? Mites are tiny and easily pass through window screen . . . ? Maybe we have different types of window screen in mind?


#8 is hard to find. I did buy a short role of it on the internet to have some on hand, but, since it is hard to find I tend to use it only when other mesh sizes won't work. Turns out for most of my applications so far, regular window screen works fine.


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