Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: "Sugared" my bees ....  (Read 8536 times)

Offline SherryL

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 241
"Sugared" my bees ....
« on: July 16, 2005, 09:06:10 pm »
OK, did a powdered sugar treatment on one of my hives yesterday, put a varroa tray on the floor board and checked it this afternoon.  I found 11 mites.

I'll go ahead and repeat the treatment 2 more times over the next 2 weeks.  Just wondering if you guys think of 11 - that was out of one VERY crowded deep with 3 Ross Round supers on top.

I might add - the girls did NOT like it one bit!

sherry

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2005, 11:42:33 am »
If done correctly it should remove about 80% of the phoretic mites.  If 11 was 80 percent of the phoretic mites, you don't have any mites to speak of.  I wouldn't waste my time doing more treatments right now.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline SherryL

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 241
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2005, 12:55:03 pm »
Well, okeydokey then.  I guess I have 11 less than a week ago.  I was planning to apistan them at the end of Sept. anyway, so I guess they'll be ok until then.

I need to them wrapped by the end of Oct. up here.

Also Michael, I ordered some small cell foundation from Dadant last week, should have it mid-week, anyway, I'm going to try to get the girls to draw out a couple frames/ hive, see how they do.  I've read that it's best to try to get them to draw in the spring.  Think I should not worry about it this year, wait until spring or let them draw the foundation if they will?

sherry

Offline AdmiralD

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 114
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2005, 03:46:29 pm »
I am no expert by any means, but why not put the small cell in now to draw out.  As I understand it, the bees use the small cell in the fall and even then only about 40-60% of it is used as workerfoundation. That way, by the time fall comes around, it's drawn out and queenie can use it accordingly. Plus, it's all set up for spring....

Or am I reasoning all wrong...?

Offline Jack Parr

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 261
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2006, 08:45:24 am »
Quote from: AdmiralD
I am no expert by any means, but why not put the small cell in now to draw out.  As I understand it, the bees use the small cell in the fall and even then only about 40-60% of it is used as workerfoundation. That way, by the time fall comes around, it's drawn out and queenie can use it accordingly. Plus, it's all set up for spring....

Or am I reasoning all wrong...?


Reading about and in the past, the above quoted post is an example of NOT learning enough about bee's MO.

BEE's draw comb when needed. They are STIMULATED into drawing comb, if needed for brood rearing, as in swarms, or for storage of pollen for brood rearing and nectar, as in the honey flow.

Bees don't just draw comb in anticipation of future events. There must BE a need.

Rebuttals anyone???

Offline Ymbe

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 47
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2006, 10:59:25 am »
Quote from: Michael Bush
If done correctly it should remove about 80% of the phoretic mites.  If 11 was 80 percent of the phoretic mites, you don't have any mites to speak of.  I wouldn't waste my time doing more treatments right now.


Michael, the 80% you quote here - is that from a single sugaring? It suggests that sugaring could be used as the sole treatment for mite infestation as this drop is very large (it is up there with proprietary treatments such as Apigard for example) and the treatment can be repeated frequently because of the lack of toxicity to the bees. I have not heard that this is the case though? Is this simply because it is time consuming or that frequent repetition is required to deal with newly emerging mites?

Offline COLVIN

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 67
LOCKPORT
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2006, 12:57:33 pm »
JACK PARR,
WHERE IS LOCKPORT, LA. ?  MY HOME TOWN IS BERNICE, LA. (NORTH OF RUSTON)

JUST CURIOUS

COLVIN
FROM BEE TO THEE, BEE BUZZING ON

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2006, 08:05:33 am »
>I've read that it's best to try to get them to draw in the spring. Think I should not worry about it this year, wait until spring or let them draw the foundation if they will?

Anytime you can I'd feed it in.  They will draw it better when there isn't a heavy flow, but they will still probably draw it smaller than 5.4mm and anything smaller than 5.4mm will be a step in the right direction.  Just get it in and the 5.4mm out and you'll be further ahead than postponing.

>Michael, the 80% you quote here - is that from a single sugaring?

It's from the University of Nebraska research.  They actually removed the bees and shook them with powdered sugar, but, if I remember right other methods have sometimes had similar results and sometimes not.

> It suggests that sugaring could be used as the sole treatment for mite infestation as this drop is very large (it is up there with proprietary treatments such as Apigard for example) and the treatment can be repeated frequently because of the lack of toxicity to the bees.
I have not heard that this is the case though? Is this simply because it is time consuming or that frequent repetition is required to deal with newly emerging mites?


I have not needed the powedered sugar, but some people use it exclusively and it seems to work.  Just keep in mind any treatment, even a supposedly 100% effective treatment, will not be very effective when there is a lot of brood because they are still reproducing rapidly in the cells.  You can kill every phoretic mite in the hive and still have more than before you treated two weeks later because they emerged from the cells.  That's why, when treating with brood in the hive, you need multiple treatments.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Jack Parr

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 261
Re: LOCKPORT
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2006, 09:44:14 am »
Quote from: COLVIN
JACK PARR,
WHERE IS LOCKPORT, LA. ?  MY HOME TOWN IS BERNICE, LA. (NORTH OF RUSTON)

JUST CURIOUS

COLVIN


Colvin, I'm in waaay south La. 45 miles north of the Gulf of Mex. The Cajun part.  Drive down LA hwy # 1 and U pass by ma house on yore way to da Gulf.

Watcha doin' in Gawga???

BTW writing in CAPS is kinda lack shoutin'. Mabe ya doin dat???  :wink:

Offline Jerrymac

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 6047
  • Gender: Male
Re: LOCKPORT
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2006, 09:48:11 am »
Quote from: Jack Parr

BTW writing in CAPS is kinda lack shoutin'. Mabe ya doin dat???  :wink:


Well.... Some of us are hard of hearing :lol:
:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

 :jerry:

My pictures.Type in password;  youview
     http://photobucket.com/albums/v225/Jerry-mac/

Offline Jack Parr

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 261
Powdered CHUGA ???
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2006, 10:02:26 am »
application is, if done correctly, a tedious and time consuming exercize.

For a complete, or, as complete as one can do while coping with bees buzzin' round, every frame should be removed and sprinkled with chuga.

If you are dealin' with two deeps it takes awhile. Best if two people are doin' this. One holdin' da frame,  one shakin' the chuga. Ya need a sifter for an effective application cause the chuga does not   just   flow.

The bees enjoy a good feast fo chure...

For an effective treatment, THREE time are required.  Hopefully you don't have MEEN BEES.

As far as just sprinklin' some chuga on top-o-the frames, wellll that is not goin' ta do da job very well, at all.   There is NO WAY that the chuga will be where it's suppose to be, ON THE BEES, on each individual bee, or close to it AMAP.


Chuga? As in " watcha ya doin Chuga " ?
Also " Watcha ya doin Dawlin',  Howz yo mama an dem?

Ya kno " What it means to miss Nu Awleens ".  :P

Offline rusty

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Gender: Female
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2006, 09:37:31 am »
I have never actually sugared my bees, what do you do - just sprinkle them like one would a cake?? Also when is the best time to do it.??
Sorry to be dim!
Rusty Wise,

Author and illustrator of the Belinda Bee Books,and A little Book of Bee Poems
www.trafford.com (Search Desk)
http://www.pcela.co.yu/IndexE.htm

Offline Jack Parr

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 261
DIM ???
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2006, 08:49:30 pm »
lemme brighten ya up.

There is no best time for doing anything with bees that mostly involve taking their colony apart. Usually they be mad mad mad.  Though a nice sunny day would be best when a lot of the bees are in and out occupied with gathering whatever.

The idea of the sugar is to sprinkle some on all of the bees as possible. The best way IMO is to have someone help you. One holds the frame flat or horizontal and the other does the sprinkling of the chuga. Do both sides one frame after the other.  Be gentle and no harm will come to the bees.

Do a dry run first to see what works sprinkling that confectioners chuga. It does not run free. I used a coarse strainer but a flower sifter would work I'm sure.

Offline rusty

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Gender: Female
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2006, 03:54:14 am »
Thanks Jack,

Yes I'm a couple of watts lighter now!!

I will try later in the year, not going into the bees just now. Trouble is I work alone so will have to come up with a way of doing it singlehanded. I'd be much happier using icing sugar than chemicals.

Rusty
Rusty Wise,

Author and illustrator of the Belinda Bee Books,and A little Book of Bee Poems
www.trafford.com (Search Desk)
http://www.pcela.co.yu/IndexE.htm

Offline Finsky

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2791
  • Gender: Male
"Sugared" my bees ....
« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2006, 04:49:01 am »
When you want to know how much you have mites, you will se them from drone cells.  When you keep drone comb areas in the middle of brood area, you may notice tens or just a few mites and the residual of mites on the cell bottoms.

Calculating mites helps not at all. When you handle varroa in autumn, do it carefully. so you need not calculate.

 

anything