Testing for Mites?

[wayacoyote]

did we Ever decide how one tests for mites with the masson jar method?

Specifically how many bees in ounces AND numbers does one collect? Is it 300 bees = 1 cup or what? (No I don't have bees to spare for calibrating a jar smile.gif

In a paper referenced in another post, it states, "colonies with more than 0.12 mites per bee will have increased winter mortality... colonies with more than .025 mites per bees will almost always perish in winter... 0.03 or more mites per bee indicates that the beekeeper should ... as soon as possible.. implement measures to reduce mite populations."

And one state apiarist told me that 30 mites from testing 300 (0.10 mites per bee) is the "treat Now" thresh hold. Why the appearant urgency at 0.03? Is it a typo that was Supposed to read 0.30?

Waya

[HarryVanderpool]

Dear wayacoyote..
I don't mean this to sound like a wise-crack just because it is, but..
You seriously can't spare 300 bees?!!!
I have slabbed off 77 splits and many nucs to boot from my hives this year and will order more queens in the A.M. for more nucs.
We have hives that have produced 2 nucs and THEN were split in half!!
Certainly you have 300 bees to spare.
If not, I advise that you consult a senior beekeeper in your area to assist in an inspection to determine your hives malady.
My 2 cents only! :eek:

[wayacoyote]

Thanks, Harry....

I don't recall stating that my hives have a malady. Let me look back at what I typed.... Nope, it says nothing of a malady. It DOES state a couple of questions which was the point of me writing. But nothing about a malady or needing advice on how to determine the malady you think I have.

Now do you have an answer to the questions? Oh, never mind. I guess if YOU KNEW the anwers, you would have been intelligent enough to have given them. don't worry, you'll get there someday.

(I am very happy for your recent success in making nucs and splitting hives, though that has nothing to do with the point of my post. Perhaps you could instead start your own thread. A possible title might read, "Let's pat ourselves on our back.")


Waya

[Terry Gr]

I think that threshholds are important. Threshholds probably change depending on where you live and climate conditions. For me if I see any drop on a sticky board I will treat for varroa. To many times I have been caught or have found nasty suprises when I have assumed that I have varroa under control. It is a very depressing situation when you work a beeyard that is supposed to be strong and healthy and discover that it is on the verge of collapse due to varroa infestation.

[HarryVanderpool]

"Now do you have an answer to the questions? Oh, never mind. I guess if YOU KNEW the anwers, you would have been intelligent enough to have given them. don't worry, you'll get there someday."

Dear wayacoyote,
WOW!!! I'm speachless!
Let me just say this:
I decided years ago that I would keep beekeeping on a positive plane, at any price.
I really enjoy this message board and don't visit to exchange insults.
Please accept my apology for anything I said that offended you.
I wish the best for you, your bees and your operation.
Harry Vanderpool

[MIKI]

Hi all,
I was just in a TBH that has Lang frames suspended in it (long Story) trying to convert a lang nuc to a TBH. Anyway I pulled a frame to replace with a bar and it had drone comb attached to the bottom. So I sat and dissected it. I had not opened three cells and had 6 mites then I opened one loaded with mites and baby mites and then another. Think I got a problem!!!!! I did not expect it from this hive it was the one that came through last fall and winter with no treatments. Well just so happens my fogger came in the mail today so it looks like I will be putting it to use tommorrow. Well I'm still praying mites will eventually find yellow jacks more tasty than bees!

[Michael Bush]

>Think I got a problem!!!!!

Sounds like it.

[tecumseh]

The mite population expands just like a good healthy hive of bees. When any resource is limited (temperature, pollen, nectar) their population will maintain a pretty constant number and then wham the temperature is just right, pollen and nectar are coming in and there population expands like an overinflating balloon. The mite poulation follow these same 'natural' laws. A threshold (I would call this a tolerance limit) is just a suggest point at which the mite population is exploding exponentially . MIKI sezs: >Think I got a problem!!!!! Maybe and maybe NOT. Do a mite test ( choose any one of the three) . Just because mites are showing up in the larvae does not mean that the hive is not cleaning this mess up before the bees hatch. Which is exactly the type of 'bee-havior' (don't you love a pun) that one would expect from hygenic bees. I found this same problem on my bees this spring yet when tested showed fairly low mite numbers.

[tecumseh]

Opps me bad again. Wayacoyote ask: Specifically how many bees in ounces? If memory serves I think there is about 3500 bees to a pound. So a 3# package contain 10000 bees. I simply make a mark about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom of a mason jar which should be 'approximately' 1/10 of a pound of bees or 250 to 350 by count. Approximately does it for me since I am not into making watches.

[tecumseh]

Opps me bad again. Wayacoyote ask: Specifically how many bees in ounces? If memory serves I think there is about 3500 bees to a pound. So a 3# package contain 10000 bees. I simply make a mark about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom of a mason jar which should be 'approximately' 1/10 of a pound of bees or 250 to 350 by count. Approximately does it for me since I am not into making watches.

[tecumseh]

Opps me bad again. Wayacoyote ask: Specifically how many bees in ounces? If memory serves I think there is about 3500 bees to a pound. So a 3# package contain 10000 bees. I simply make a mark about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom of a mason jar which should be 'approximately' 1/10 of a pound of bees or 250 to 350 by count. Approximately does it for me since I am not into making watches.

[tecumseh]

Opps me bad again. Wayacoyote ask: Specifically how many bees in ounces? If memory serves I think there is about 3500 bees to a pound. So a 3# package contain 10000 bees. I simply make a mark about 1 1/2 inch from the bottom of a mason jar which should be 'approximately' 1/10 of a pound of bees or 250 to 350 by count. Approximately does it for me since I am not into making watches.

[wayacoyote]

Harry,
Well stated. Thank you. I sincerely appreciate quality interactions here, myself. Thanks for the well wishes and appology accepted.

I do not have 300 bees to spare, not due to a Lack of bees, but a lack of bees which I wish to sacrifice. I am delighted over the sugar-dusting techiques because I hate to purposely kill any of my bees. I realize that it is a necessary evil at times. However, if I could avoid having to calibrate a jar, then I can use the sugar-dusting to avoid killing bees for mite inspection. See? smile.gif

Tecumseh,
Thanks for the info... lots of good stuff... what size mason jar? Pint? I'm not into making watches either.

Waya

[Michael Bush]

As has been said before by many, the trend is what's important. Measure a 1/2 cup and make a line on your jar and keep track of the trend. Are there more or less mites?

[tecumseh]

wayacoyote ask: what size mason jar? Pint? tecumseh replies: I use a quart jar. I have a canning ring with a bit of 1/8" hardware wire attached (I love this Gorilla glue stuff) which I screw on last when I roll the jar around to knock off clinging mites with the powdered sugar. The primary reason I use a quart jar is it is a bit more stable while I am brushing bees from the comb. I funnel the bees into the jar using one of those old dangling light fixtures that you use to see in old garages and parts house (which have now becomes era fixtures for certain chain restaurants). I took a pair of tin snips and cut out the top of the fixture (where it was typically attached to the ceiling with a bit on conduit) and glued on (Gorilla glue once again) another canning ring which gives me a good attachment of funnel to quart collection jar. Since the light fixture is very wide, one frame is usually sufficent for me to acquire a good sample and very few bees are knock off which are not captured in the jar.