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Author Topic: How to count mites the fast way  (Read 11833 times)

Offline edward

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How to count mites the fast way
« on: September 22, 2013, 01:02:43 pm »
Take 1- 2 dl of bees from the brood nest and put them in a jar with a mesh lid on that is Small enough to keep the bees in and big enough so that the mites can fall out.

Take a few spoons of dry icing powder and put into the jar of bees and shake well so all the bees are covered in the icing sugar and are White.

After a few minutes shake the jar vigorously.

The sugar covered bees start to clean themselves, also it cogs the mites feet so they cant walk and grip on to the bees.

Shake the icing sugar into a fine mesh sieve, then wash the sugar away with water and you will bee left with the Varroa mite that were on the bees.

This method i also used to determen apistan resistance in mites : put some bees in a jar with a piece of apistan for 24hrs, shake out the dead mites Count them, then do the sugar treatment and Count the dead mite to determen if they are resistant to the apistan or other mite treatments.


mvh Edward   :-P

Offline edward

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Re: How to count mites the fast way - the sugar shake
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2013, 02:34:17 pm »
Here is a youtube film (in German) but you can get a good idea what and how to do it

Varroa Befallskontrolle mit Puderzucker


mvh Edward  :-P
« Last Edit: November 09, 2013, 02:52:53 pm by edward »

Offline edward

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2014, 07:45:46 pm »
If you want to see a varroa mite get a taste of his own medicine :evil:

Varroa unter Kontrolle - Beenature-Project

mvh Edward  :-P

Offline Vance G

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2014, 01:27:34 pm »
I do a sugar roll in much the same way.  I like to put the sugar I collect after shaking the bees in a zip lock sandwich bag and add a little water.  The wet sugar turns opaque and the mites are clearly visible and countable in the baggie.

I use two jars with the screened lids and after collecting and rolling the bees, I place the jar and bees in the shade and go on to the next hive.  When the bees are collected and sugar tolled and coated, I set that jar in the shade and go back and collect the sugar from the first jar.  Repeat as you go   

Offline annette

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2014, 10:45:24 pm »
If you want to see a varroa mite get a taste of his own medicine :evil:

Varroa unter Kontrolle - Beenature-Project

mvh Edward  :-P

That was great. What kind of bug is this?

Offline Edgy

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2014, 08:46:53 pm »
Cool video.  I'll use this method to keep an eye on mite population....  When I get some bees that is.  Thanks

Offline edward

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2014, 01:11:49 am »
That was great. What kind of bug is this?

In Sweden we call it a book scorpion, they like living amongst paper. they used to bee a commom dweller in beehives amongst 30 to 40 other different kind of bugs and insects that some times lived along side the bees.

Chelifer cancroides  its name in Latin

"A pseudoscorpion, (also known as a false scorpion or book scorpion), is an arachnid belonging to the order Pseudoscorpionida, also known as Pseudoscorpiones or Chelonethida.

Pseudoscorpions are generally beneficial to humans since they prey on clothes moth larvae, carpet beetle larvae, booklice, ants, mites, and small flies. They are small and inoffensive, and are rarely seen due to their size.
"


mvh Edward  :-P

Offline annette

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2014, 08:03:47 pm »
It reminded me of a scorpion. Very freaky looking insect. It moves almost like a machine.

Offline jayj200

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2014, 07:34:35 pm »
edward
that bug sure can play the fiddle

Offline davidawbrown

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2014, 08:03:15 pm »
Crazy German lady, I never understand why people don't use a veil!

A bee sting in the eye!!! NOO!

Cool video and great idea.

Regards
Dave

Offline minz

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2014, 07:46:50 pm »
I dump them onto a white paper in the sun.  They look like popcorn bouncing around.
Poor decisions make the best stories.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2014, 11:55:45 pm »
i count them this way:

ahhh...that's not to many mites

OR

Dang it, that's a lot of mites!!

then i treat accordingly.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline estreya

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2014, 02:16:35 pm »
Does the container need to be shaken so vigorously in order for the mites to dislodge?

Offline edward

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2014, 04:35:11 pm »
Yes it helps to disloge them from the bees
The sugar clogs their feet so they can not clime back onto the bees.

Offline LaurieBee

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Re:
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2014, 11:59:34 pm »
It looks like the vigorous shaking would be really hard on the bees. I'm sure the mites are worse but those poor bees must have a headache when its all over.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re:
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2014, 04:59:37 am »
It looks like the vigorous shaking would be really hard on the bees. I'm sure the mites are worse but those poor bees must have a headache when its all over.

Yea, I would bet the bees would rather bee "poured, not shaken".  :-D
Jim
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Offline minz

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2014, 04:41:16 pm »
I used to get them in the jar, add sugar and set them in the shade of the hive while I completed the inspection.  The seminar that was sponsored by OSU said to let them girls sit in the sun to bet a better count.

Poor decisions make the best stories.

Offline SkipS

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2014, 05:57:04 pm »
The bees do come out of the jar dazed and confused but it is better for them than doing the ether roll!

Offline WillH

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #18 on: September 01, 2014, 08:59:52 pm »
I don't understand german language. I used google translate it appears the they are using 50g of bees. How many bees are in 50g?

Offline Jim134

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Re: How to count mites the fast way
« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2014, 05:53:27 am »
I don't understand german language. I used google translate it appears the they are using 50g of bees. How many bees are in 50g?

 Randy Oliver...........

300 bees or 1/2 a cup

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/sick-bees-part-11-mite-monitoring-methods/

   IMHO,.......
  The alcohol wash is the most accurate. I can hear it now you are telling me you're killing bees.
  
   Next time you go to the doctor and get some blood work done tell him you want the blood back after the lab work is done.  :shock:
 
    This is what Michael Bush say about killing Varroa mites  :shock:

 
  http://www.bushfarms.com/beesvarroatreatments.htm

                


          BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

« Last Edit: September 02, 2014, 06:08:17 am by Jim 134 »
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