Rod Rupert wrote:

> Beltsville screen inserts:
>
> I built several of these and installed over the bottom boards when I
> treated for mites in August.  This was the first time I used sticky boards
> and these inserts are great for that.  I was stunned at the hundreds of
> mites on the boards after the strips had been in for only a few hours.  I
> also noted that small black ants were carrying off the dead mites.  I left
> the insert on one hive after completing the apistan treatments to observe
> mite fall with no treatment in the hive. (The insert is still on and I will
> leave it on all winter but I have blocked off the opening in the back)
>  There would be a few mites on the board from time to time, but it was
> difficult to evaluate because of the actions of the ants.

Finally someone has said something positive about ants!  Wouldn't it be
wonderful if a variety of ants would be discovered who would do nothing except
hunt through the hives looking for mites to eat?  What a fantasy!

>   What am I doing wrong here?  It would be
> easier to store them (supers) wet but I understand that: a) wet supers
> should not be
> stored with PDB because the remaining honey would pick up the odor/taste of
> PDB, and b) storing supers wet will promote granulation of next year's
> honey crop.  Are both of these true?

PDB, in my opinion, should not be used with supers, only brood chambers.  I
have always had my supers cleaned up by bees, but as you noticed, when set
upon colonies often the honey is not removed but only concentrated in some of
the combs.  I always set up stacks outside, protected below from mice by an
excluder, and protected from rain above by an old junk cover.  The supers are
slightly offset so bees can enter at the ends.  This attracts clouds of bees,
some yellow jackets, and the odd hornet, but it gets the job done in about two
or three days.  Two concerns: robbing at the hives and disease spread.
Robbing does not occur if colonies are healthy and strong and extra openings
are closed up.  Disease is not spread if the colonies are healthy to begin
with.  Do not try this procedure if you have an AFB hive in your yard!  Also,
set the stack of supers some distance from your hives - perhaps 50 to 75 feet.



>
>
> I install menthol packs in August when the ambient temperature here in
> Southwest Missouri is frequently in the upper 90's.  My experience the last
> two years is that the bees completely isolate the menthol pack from the
> hive with propolis before the menthol has a chance to sublimate.  I am not
> sure how much of a treatment the bees are getting because there is always
> menthol remaining when I remove the packs.  Any suggestions?

This always happens.  Menthol is a total mess in the hive.  I haven't used it
for years since the grease patty was developed.  It works much better for
tracheal mites, and is also much cheaper.

Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA