my mites are bigger than yours!

[hummingberd]

Can anybody tell me about the strange occurence of varroa seeming larger on the bottom board? I don't have more of them, just the ones I see "look" larger than they used to. Should I be worried about this? Thanks for any input!

-K-

[George Fergusson]

Jeez HB, it's probably just an optimal inclusion er.. an optical delusion uh.. a subliminal distraction... a bifocal dislocation... an elliptical collusion... an occular distraction- yeah... that's it, an occular distraction- they only look like they're getting bigger. I hope.

[drobbins]

George

as usual you're mistaken
it's an optical discombobulation:)

Dave

[okb]

What did you smoke your beez with before you looked at your bottom board?

[Steve C]

Himp rope......?????? but don't smoke the bee's with it.... They will get the munchy's and eat all the honey....... ;)

[George Fergusson]

George

as usual you're mistaken
it's an optical discombobulation:)

Dave

I stand correlated. In any case, it's most likely that HB is just getting better at spotting them so it's easier hence they seem to "stand out" which might lead one to believe they were getting bigger...

They're big enough as it is. In the host/predator world, varroa are quite large in comparison to their host. It would be like humans being fed on by mosquitoes the size of robins or as I read recently in Bee Culture, like walking around with a dinner plate on your back.

[beehoppers]

I was having trouble seeing so I went to an optimist. He said I'd be alright.
(Steven Wright)

[iddee]

Your mite may be bigger than my mite, but my snake is bigger than your snake.....

KINGSNAKE.COM

My one dollar glasses from the dollar tree store make them quite big. Without them, they are too small for me to see, so I guess their size is relevant to the surroundings.

[tarheit]

Now that could be a solution for mites. Just breed bigger mites. The bees seem to have no problem taking care of ticks that get in the hive or on a worker. So we just need mites the size of a tick.

-Tim

[Dave W]

Every one knows "more is better" so,
the more you have of Varroa, the BIGGER they become.

Or, is it just "the problem" is bigger?

That's what I like about small cell bees, the mites are smaller too :).

Smaller bees, smaller mites, smaller problem :) :)