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From:
Dennis Murrell <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Dennis Murrell <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 14 Jul 2001 12:23:57 -0600
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Hello,

I have taken my most varroa infest hive, a cordovan italian, and treated it with powdered sugar every 4 days for a total of 4 treatments. This hive was severly infested with varroa. Wing damaged bees were evident crawling outside the hive and the bees were removing infested larva. 

Mite fall was monitored immediately after treatment and daily between treatments using a tray to catch fall mites beneath an 8 mesh screened bottom board.

After three treatments mite fall had decreased to less than one mite per day. The fourth treatment dropped only one mite and subsequent daily mite fall has been zero!

Are the 4 treatments at 4 days critical? Probably not, as varroa feed and quest for 2 to 6 days or more before entering another cell for mating. The length of treatment is probably more critical as varroa with the youngest sealed brood would not emerge it the time was shorter.

If you want to treat for varroa and don't want chemicals in your hive or hive products then this method method might work for you.

It is labor intensive, requires several frequent hive visits and probably won't work for a commercial beekeeper unless he could build an effective "super sonic turbo varroa blaster" out of that bee blower setting in the corner or devise a varroa "sugar tunnel of terror" for the hive entrance :>)

Mites are really great acrobats. When flipped on their back they snap vertically into the air, roll 180 degrees and land on their feet. Powder sugared mites loose their snap. If they land on their back and cannot grab onto something with their feet they spend the rest of their life waving good bye.

Best Wishes
Dennis Murrell
(noting: dead bees are really dull to watch and draw no 4.9 mm comb) 

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