I hate to ask this question.  I might jinx it.

 

How have the mite counts been going this year?  I have been having trouble finding varroa.  Not just in my hives, but in other hives in the area.  Last year at this time I was working hard to keep mite counts below the magic 3 per 100.  This year I have not had a count over three and most are zero.

 

I generally use a powdered sugar roll.  On the possibility that I was just inept with the sugar, we did an alcohol roll on a hive in which I found zero mites.  The results were the same.  

 

I find few or no mites with sticky boards and when checking drone brood.  I keep thinking the other shoe will drop soon, but we are now half way through the season.

 

This seems to be a nice problem.  I can always hope a mite plague has struck those cute little hemolymph suckers.  Any thoughts?  What are others finding?

 

Larry Krengel

 

 


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