mites and sugar

[Kyle Meadows]

Hi all,
I'm a new beekeeper (started this spring) and just returned from vacation to discover varroa mites in two of my three hives. A lot of mites and dead bees in one hive and a just a few mites in another. Another local beekeeper suggested dusting the frametops (and therefore the bees) with powdered sugar, then placing a board smeared with Crisco underneath the frames. His explanation was that the bees would clean the sugar off each other and in the process knock the mites off which would then fall on to the "sticky board" and couldn't crawl back up onto the bees. He said the bees would be able to traverse the sticky board well enough.
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this method? Should I try something else?
Also the queens have stopped laying as of about three weeks ago, judging by the absence of capped cells, larvae and eggs. The queens are still there, just not laying. We've had a drought for the past month. Could they have stopped laying because of the drought or the mites, or both?
I also found a few bees with deformed wings crawling around the frames.
What's up?

[Michael Bush]

It's getting to the time of year that they will shut down anyway. I don't know where you're located (you could populate that in your profile and it would help people advising yo) but here the queens will shut down by October.

There are many discussions about powdered sugar. I'd do a search. Much discussion and many descriptions of methods are already here. Many of them recent.

The deformed wings are probably from the mites or the viruses carried by the mites.

[D. Murrell]

Hi Kylefromke,

You can check out my powdered sugar varroa blaster at www.bwrangler.com/bee/ (http://bwrangler.farvista.net/qmar.htm)gbla.htm (http://bwrangler.farvista.net/gbla.htm)

It's a labor intensive process which requires proper timing and mite knowledge. The sticky board isn't needed as the sugar kills the mites within a few hours. So, if you treat with powdered sugar you could treat them now without any additional equipment. Some people have reported success by dumping powdered sugar between the frames without blasting them.

I would suggest using an oxalic/sugar solution and dribble it. It's fast, safe, very effective, non-contaiminating cheap and easy.

Oxalic evaporators are more flexible but require more safety precautions.

Search the web for the latest info on oxalic dribbling. Here's how the Canadians use it:

http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=876&nID=512


Regards
Dennis

[ December 31, 2006, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: D. Murrell ]

[Kyle Meadows]

Thanks so much for your replies.
I live in Northern Kentucky, near Cincinnati, Ohio. (I've updated my profile.)
The blaster looks easy to make. I'll certainly give that a try. Am I correct in understanding that three treatments a week apart should take care of the mites?
Where can I learn more about mites in general? (I don't know what phoretic means, for example.)
I look forward to more learning. Thanks for your help!

[ September 07, 2006, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: Kyle Meadows ]

[Dave W]

Kyle Meadows . . .

>Another local beekeeper suggested dusting the frametops . . .

When using powdered sugar on frametops, be sure to use A LOT OF SUGAR. Instructions developed by Tom Dowda of the Florida Dept. of Agriculture, says to use 1 cup per brood chamber.

Just "dusting" the bees will not do much good.