sticky board questions

[blkcloud]

where do i get them
where do they need to be in the hive
and..how do the mites get on them?thanks,keith

[blkcloud]

also can i use them now?

[Robert Hawkins]

Sounds like, IMHO, I would guess: everyone with SBB has a slot cut under the screen to slide one in. I just cut a piece of cardboard and painted it white. Just a little smaller than the bottom board so it slides into the entrance. The mites as they fall off the bees get stuck in the Pam or whatever you sticky with.

Best practice is to do it for three days and then divide by three so you have the average over the three days. But it's an average for one day. Three or four mites falling a day is great. Thirty or forty means you need to do something. Ninety means your hive is gonna die.

You should use them all year long. You need to know if you should treat for varroa. Or if you should NOT treat for varroa.

Go get em.

Hawk

[Michael Bush]

Some people buy the contact paper to use for the sticky part. If you put it under a SBB (Screened Bottom Board) the bees can't walk on it but the mites fall through. If you put it on a solid bottom board you need something for the bees to walk on. #8 hardware cloth works. You can BUY sticky boards WITH a plastic piece for the bees to walk on from most bee supply places.

You slide it in. Wait 24 hours and count the mites. Or wait three days and count the mites and divide by 3. This gives you a 24 hour natural mite drop.

Some people, as mentioned, spray the tray they have with pam or wipe it with mineral oil laxitive or vegatable oil.