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Subject:
From:
"W. Allen Dick" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 22 Aug 2000 19:46:00 -0400
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On Wed, 9 Feb 2000 07:55:19 -0700, Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Forwarded From: [log in to unmask]
>Author:  docbull
>Subject:  NEW VARROA MITE FIELD TEST

It's while since I forwarded this message to the list.  Since then there
have been a few posts on the topic, some wondering about the details, some
clarifying them.

I thought that I had previously posted the reference URLs, but an
interesting wild-goose-chase style archive search proved otherwise.  (But
turned up lots of other unrelated fascinating stuff I'd forgotten about).

Anyhow, I'll belatedly post the links here:
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~mts/apishtm/apis_2000/apfeb_2000.htm#2
and
http://ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/entomol/beekpg/tidings/btid2000/btdjan00.htm#Art
icle2
(watch for word-wrap on that last one)

The reason I am writing today is that I have now tried the method and want
to compare notes with others who have done so.  I realise it is still early
for ideal results, since most of the mites are still in the large amount of
brood in those of my hives which have queens <g>, but we thought we would
get an idea if there is a problem developing.

What we find amazing is that we have sampled about fifteen yards so far and
not found one mite.  We know we have varroa.  Where is it?

We are using a wide-mouth mason jar with 8-mesh harware cloth and that
seems to work well, but I think we have been using too much icing sugar.
Also, instead of using a second jar with a finer mesh to separate the sugar
and the mites, we have been dissolving the sugar in water and putting it
through a coffee filter or pouring it on a white cotton rag, then examining
the debris that remains.

* What have others discovered?
* Has anyone tried this method and also a 24-hour Apistan drop on the same
hive?
* What is the correlation?
* How much sugar is optimal?
* What is the best way to separate the the mites and the sugar?

allen
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