[D's_Bees]

I've heard it's best to use powdered sugar during "broodless" periods for mite control. However, I have no clue when that is. I thought I heard someone say it is after the honey flows. Is this true? I don't want to use chemicals so when can just stay away from that all together. Thank you.

 

[MichelinMan]

I've never heard of this but then my experience is not that extensive. My understanding is that "broodless" means just that... no brood. The only time this occurs is in the dead of winter. The queen starts laying again in late winter for the spring build up.

If you do use powdered sugar, make sure it is table sugar ground down in a grinder to powder. Don't use commercial powdered sugar... it contains corn starch.

 

[concrete-bees]

the "Broodless Periods" occur when you want them too!!!

and here is why and how come

mites need brood to reproduce - but with the queen laying 1500 eggs a day the mites just repruduce everyday - BUT if there is no queen there is no eggs - no eggs there is no mite reproduction

so .... to have broodless you have to be queenless - and this is done several ways - one is common - where you simple take out you queen pinch her and wait 24-36hrs and then give them a new queen - this is common practice

but if you cant get a queen and want to conctrol mites just take your queen and a few bees and remove her from the nest - take here somewhere warm and wait 24 hrs - then re install her -

this breakes the mite cycle
but if the hive goes a long time - its even better but dont go too long or you might get laying workers .... any they are worse then mites

hope this helps - others might add more to this as well

 

[MichelinMan]

the "Broodless Periods" occur when you want them too!!!
...

so .... to have broodless you have to be queenless - and this is done several ways - one is common - where you simple take out you queen pinch her and wait 24-36hrs and then give them a new queen - this is common practice

but if you cant get a queen and want to conctrol mites just take your queen and a few bees and remove her from the nest - take here somewhere warm and wait 24 hrs - then re install her -

this breakes the mite cycle ...

The mites enter the cells to reproduce just when the larvae are getting fat... (just prior to capping). They then feed on the larvae and reproduce inside the capped cells. Removing the queen for 24-36 hrs will slow down egg laying and disrupt the mites schedule a bit, but I don't think it would have much of an impact.

 

[D's_Bees]

interesting. i didn't know if she took a break and that's the time to hit them. I've got another guy I can ask. He was there so maybe he can shed some light on what the speaker meant. I'll be honest, I didn't ask at the time because I felt like a dummy :doh:

 

[Oldbee]

I have read that it is oxalic acid treatment that is mostly used during a broodless period, like late fall.

Powdered sugar dusting is the one treatment that can be used at almost any time. I wouldn't recomend it during a good honey flow or in cold weather when the bees are in cluster, or can't fly readily.
Sugar dusting is probably best used in spring to early summer when there would be brood and when the size of the hive [not stacked with supers] and colony population would be fairly low to medium, so that most of the bees get dusted. It has been established that brood is not affected by dusting unless it is "poofed", or blown directly into the cells.

Broodless period/time equals = late fall, winter, a package of bees, a recent swarm, a queenless hive after 21 days.