Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: Pre-Bee (Rowan) on June 23, 2012, 01:15:49 am

Title: sugar water vs powered sugar question
Post by: Pre-Bee (Rowan) on June 23, 2012, 01:15:49 am
I have a question for those of you that use a sugar water spray instead of smoke with your hive inspections.  Do you find that you have a increase in varroa drops compared to no treatment, or similar/less/greater than dusting with powdered sugar?  I think spraying each frame would be easier when using top bar or foundationless that hasn't been fully attached instead of tilting the frames to dust.  Both kickstart grooming, right?

Thanks.
Title: Re: sugar water vs powered sugar question
Post by: saperica on June 24, 2012, 05:47:12 am
Hi from Zagreb, i use a aplle vinager/water solution for calming down bees in summer period. sugar/water solution i use for swarm removal.
i did not check varroa falling because i treated swarms A.S.A.P.Amitraz, Perizin, Milk Acid 15%, or rotenon strips.
Title: Re: sugar water vs powered sugar question
Post by: bossqwjw on June 29, 2012, 11:40:34 pm
I use both smoke and suger water spray when doing hive inspection.

I have not noticed any mite drop with the suger spray, but I have noticed bees are calmer after being sprayed with the suger water than useing just smoke.

I suppose it occupies them so they are less concerned with what I am doing than just using smoke.

Most of the time I just spray the tops of the frames, once I enter the hive and they calm right down.
Then I might spray them with suger water if they start getting fussy again.

I do use smoke to get them to move out of the way.