No Mites

**The Professor** · 09-21-2011, 09:26 PM

I just did a mite count on a sticky board after the board was three days under the hive. I counted zero mites. I used a magnifying glass and went over the entire board carefully. Is this possible, or have I done something wrong? This is a new package started in April, and I went queenless for about a month from mid July to mid August. I've used powdered sugar several times over the summer and two or three times when they were broodless during the queenless period.

I made my own sticky board by putting double sided sticky tape (carpet tape) on cardboard and put the cardboard on the tray that slid under the screened bottom board. I used this same method in June and I counted 9 or 11 mites in 1.5 days back then. My thoughts are that maybe with cooler temperatures the mites aren't falling, the sticky tape doesn't work (although there were plenty of other things firmly stuck to the board, a few bees, bits of wax and pollen, etc.), or something else weird is happening. Any thoughts?

**Gypsi** · 09-21-2011, 09:36 PM

I'm thinking powdered sugar works. But I'm a first year beek too.

**Seymore** · 09-22-2011, 02:03 AM

Broodlessness helps keep mites at bay. In fact it is a manipulation technique sometimes used to help thwart mites. For the mites, No brood, no food - since they feed off the larva.

I'm in my second year as a beek, and I've learned most my lessons the hard way. The mites WILL visit again. I am told a strong hive can usually last at least 2 years before the mites really have their impact.

Keep an eye on your counts - especially next summer.

Powdered sugar does "help," but only with the phoretic mites.
Good luck!

**rrussell6870** · 09-22-2011, 02:31 AM

Seymore is exactly right... the long bloodless period that you had has stopped the development cycle of the mites.. for now... hopefully when you did get a queen in there, she was one that carried some resistant traits so they can start fresh and keep the mites a bay now that they have a better chance if doing so... but keep an eye on your counts... for a 1st year package to build up to a mite drop average of 10, there is either a serious area threat or your package came with a lot of tag-alongs...

Powdered sugar dusting can help in two ways... one by dislodging mites from the bees that are in the hive.. and two by forcing a short shutdown period for the queen who deems the combs unsuitable for laying until the dust is completely cleaned out... so dusting at certain intervals can keep the queen from laying while the dusting dislodges many of the mites from the bees after they have emerged from the last cycle... however... this period of shutdown can cause supersedures, early/unprepared swarming/absconding, and production losses as it creates a serious stress on the colony...

Keep an eye on your mite counts, and "when in doubt, find out"... resorting to an ether wash testing method will give you a more accurate assessment...

Hope this helps.

**sqkcrk** · 09-22-2011, 05:01 AM

"bloodless"? Certainly you guys mean broodless, right?

The Professor,
Were you seeing mites when you applied the powdered sugar? Maybe you didn't have mites, or very many mites, to begin with.

It would be interesting to do a test w/ a sticky board and MAQS or something that would kill adult mites and not cover the board w/ powdered sugar.

When we first used Apistan strips, w/ sticky boards, way back in 1986, I was amazed at how many dead mites were on the sticky board after the strips were in the hive for the amount of time it took 4 guys to install strips in a 40 hive yard. It is said that 90% of the kill occurs in the first 24 hours of a chemical strip treatment.