Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: winginit on September 20, 2010, 01:42:48 pm

Title: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: winginit on September 20, 2010, 01:42:48 pm
I almost missed it, too. Had to use the macro lens on my camera to figure out what it was.

I put an 8.5X11 sheet of paper, sprayed with Pam, under the screen for 24 hours. I did not do a sugar shake. Came out with a single varroa mite. Was I supposed to do a sugar shake before? Do I need to do one now?
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: Scadsobees on September 20, 2010, 02:11:02 pm
One mite?  I wouldn't worry about that.  You can do a sugar shake to see what comes up, but only one dropping is a pretty low threshold.

Also, leave it out over a few days, and then count.  The longer you can leave it the more accurate the count will be.
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: Michael Bush on September 25, 2010, 08:06:05 pm
Now you know what one looks like... that you had them was a forgone conclusion...
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: hardwood on September 25, 2010, 08:24:12 pm
If that poor lil mite gets lonely I'm sure there are those here who would be glad to donate a friend or two :-D

Scott
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: winginit on September 25, 2010, 09:15:58 pm
Now that I know what they look like--and how hard they are to see--I find there may bee more of 'em. I did the 48 hour test and found 15-20 on a page. Not sure why the 24 hour test wasn't very effective. I think I'll sugar dust to be safe.

It's a weird feeling to have one crawling on my finger. I thought they would be dead after getting stuck to the Pam, but noooooo.

And is it my imagination, or do they jump?
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: AllenF on September 25, 2010, 09:25:21 pm
No, they don't jump.   Just crawl around, like bed bugs.  :-D  You got the willys yet?
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: Michael Bush on September 26, 2010, 12:17:01 pm
It's funny the first time you see one move (after seen them stationary on a bee) and you find how fast they are.  They are much more mobile than most reports seem to indicate...
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: winginit on September 26, 2010, 01:12:28 pm
No, they don't jump.   Just crawl around, like bed bugs.  :-D  You got the willys yet?

Oh yeah. Kind of like a tick. You know it can't hurt you unless it's latched on for some hours, but holding one in the hand is hard.

Hey, Allen, how do you know what a BED BUG looks like?  :-D  I laugh but not too hard. I live in a bed bug hot spot...woke up the other night with a centipede crawling on me, found out they love bed bugs. What is worse I wonder?
Title: Re: Single Varroa Mite
Post by: AllenF on September 26, 2010, 02:43:55 pm
Bed bus are all you see on the news now.   Creepy.