# Varroa mites - how many are too many?



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Seems normal to me, but also deadly. Unless you are antitreatment, I would advise treating this colony. If you are antitreatment, I can't advise you.

How many colonies do you have? Are they supered for honey production? You will get some more nectar this year, won't you?

Were I you, I would do an ethwer roll of this and the other colonies, to see what counts are like. Then I would strip the hives down to the brood boxes and what honey was staying on for winter feed. Then I would treat w/ whatever you were going to use later. But do it sooner than later.

Best of luck.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

One to me is too many but it takes three thousand to kill or severely damage a colony. I would listen to Mark's advice. Fifteen mites in four cells is a bit high. Forty cells would be 150 mites. Four hundred cells would be 1500 mites--getting kind of hairy, do you not think. Best take Mark's Advice. TED


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## DC Beekeeper (Apr 24, 2011)

sqkcrk - 
Yes, the hives are supered for honey production. From what I have read, best to to chemical treatments after the honey collection boxes are off. I am thinking about sprinkling confectioners sugar on the top bars to get the bees to groom themselves and possibly dislodge the mites. This fall after our last nectar flow I will by the chemical strips for the hive. Does this seem like a good approach? Ton confirm, I found 5 mites in 40 opened cells (one cell had two, and one had two. 
DCBK


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Treat when you have a double digit number. 10+.
You will find out that the Dowdy method, powdered sugar treatment does not really work because the mite can crawl back to the comb.
You might want to use a sticky board and count only the red mites.

Here are two sources that offer Varroa mite screened bottom boards for checking mite fall.
https://www.dadant.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_52
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/m23Search/DisplayResults.asp?sIDSearch=255510

They also offer various mite controls.
Good luck,


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

DC Beekeeper said:


> sqkcrk - From what I have read, best to to chemical treatments after the honey collection boxes are off. To confirm, I found 5 mites in 40 opened cells (one cell had two, and one had two.
> DCBK


Yes, after honey supers are off the hives. If you have too many mites you may want to sacrifice your honey crop to save your bees.

I think you need to check for mites in a better way. Checking drone brood isn't necassarily a good way to tell what your mitye count is, even though you do know your mites per drone cell ratio. An ether roll or sugar roll sample may give you a different picture.

Being in DC, maybe you have more time to make a crop of honey and do an effective treatment. But I think you should check your mite load in a different way.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

4 mites on 40 drone pupa is a 10% infestation on the drones. Sounds a little high to me.
Some people say 5% on the drone brood is high.

This is the time of year you need to have low numbers, because the queen will lay less eggs but the mites will continue to lay more. Also you're bees are raising the bees that will raise you're winter bees right now.


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## DC Beekeeper (Apr 24, 2011)

I will test the bees again for mites to get an accurate count. Beekeeping for Dummies recommends capturing 20 bees in a jar containing granulated (not powdered) sugar, shaking them with a cap, and then dumping the granulated sugar -- with any mites that were shaken off -- onto a white piece of paper. How do I capture 20 bees easily w/out special equipment? brush them into a mason jar w/ a bee brush?

BTW, the cells I checked were worker bee cells, not drone cells.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Then that does seem high to me.

20 bees in a jar won't tell you much of anything. In a 40,000 or better colony, that's not many bees. The sample of bees needs to come from the surface of a frame of capped brood. You want to have about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of bees in a pint Mason or Mayonaisse jar. I like the Mayo jar because the sides are smooth, unlike the Mason Jar.

Go into your hive and locate the brood nest. Select a brood comb which is mostly capped, has lots of bees on it, and doesn't have the queen on it. W/ the frame in one hand and the jar in the other, scrape the mouth of the jar along the surface of the comb scooping bees into the jar as you go. 

Don't be fearful of doing damage to the comb. Just be careful. It takes a little practice, but not alot.

Set the frame down and cover the jar w/ the lid. Until you can set the frame down and grab the lid, shake the jar back and forth keeping the bees from crawling or flying out of the jar.

Next, grab na can of Starting Fluid, aka starting Ether, which you buy at the auto Parts Store. Spritz a short spray of ether into the jar and screw down the lid. W/ the lid end in your hand, shake the jar back and forth like ringing a hand bell, do this for about 30 seconds or to a count of 30 shakes or more.

Stop shaking the jar. Open the jar and throw the bees on the ground or in a trash reseptacle. Examine the wall of the jar and the bottom of the jar for mites. The stick to the slightly oily surface of the jar. Count the mites. Ten or more? Maybe you should treat. 20 or more? No doubt.

I have never done a powdered sugar roll. Maybe it is just as effective. But, I would think that mites covered in powdered sugar might be hard to see. Whereas, dead mites stuck to glass are easy to see. Two or three hundred dead bees are worth it to me to find out what the mite count is.

I'm sure others feel differently.


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## Drone On (Mar 19, 2005)

You can use Hop Guard when the honey supers are on. I did a sticky board test first. Only one hive had two mites but when I put the HG on for 24 hours there were 65 mites on the sticky board, go figure. I am now uncertain if I would base treatment decisions on the sticky board. HG is a lot easier than powdered sugar and you leave it on for a month to get your hatching out mites on bees, something powdered sugar can not do. Regards


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Hi Drone On, 
Sounds like you're hive probably didn't need treatment. 
If you saw like 1000 after putting the hop guard on it needed treatment.


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## Tom G. Laury (May 24, 2008)

DC if you do not eliminate the mites now your colony will be dead come next Spring.


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## winevines (Apr 7, 2007)

DC Beekeeper said:


> Hello,
> I am a first year beekeeper


There is a lot of support in the DC metro area for beekeeping. I would encourage you to take a look at a local beekeeping club in VA or MD. BANV is having an upcoming refresher class which will review mite counts and thresholds. http://www.beekeepersnova.org/meeting.htm or their yahoo group list serv. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BANV/


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## Cahillbilly (Mar 31, 2011)

Tom I live in Tulare and have three hives in my back yard. I did a sticky board test
Friday and got 115 mites in 24 hours. I had already ordered checkmite+ from mann
lake but after reading here and other places Im not sure I should use it. I wanted to
try hopguard but they told me I would need permits in California. Have you used these products?
I gave up my bees in 82 when I moved to Tulare. All this chemical stuff is new to me.
I enjoy working with the bees and now retired, but it sure has changed alot.


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