Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: PeskySquirrel on February 11, 2009, 06:53:28 pm

Title: A Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: PeskySquirrel on February 11, 2009, 06:53:28 pm
Anyone else as intrigued as I am about by this new product from Dadant?

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1066

Just another way to spend more money? Or a truly better way to apply Powdered Sugar? Can't wait to hear a few reviews.
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: Kathyp on February 11, 2009, 07:20:06 pm
an old window screen and a brush work great. 
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: Bee-Bop on February 12, 2009, 10:28:26 am
This is a old hat item in Europe, I believe there have been several articles published on the use of them.
Like most ever thing, some Good & some Bad reports !

Bee-Bop
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: mlewis48 on February 12, 2009, 12:10:08 pm
 I use an old flour sifter that I found at the flea market. It does well .
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 13, 2009, 12:32:02 am
Randy Oliver wrote about it and mentioned that Dadant would be carrying the item.  I called immediately on reading that only to find out that the order had been placed with the European manufacturer but had not arrived as the time I called and no decision about pricing had been made. 
I think I'll order one, now that they're in and in the online catalog.  I like the idea of being able to blow powder up between the frames and well as down between them.  It also might make it so I don't have to stoop so much working the hives, that's a back killer for me on the days I can work the hives without the wheelchair.
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: annette on February 13, 2009, 12:40:20 am
I don't understand how it works. Sounds sort of strange having the sugar blow up, when you want the mites to go down. ????
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 14, 2009, 12:03:18 am
I don't understand how it works. Sounds sort of strange having the sugar blow up, when you want the mites to go down. ????

Imagine filling your smoker with powdered sugar, so that when you work the billows a cloud of sugar comes out the spout.  Then imagine puffing the sugar into the hive through the entrance.  Now put an extention on the spout so that the powdered sugar can be puffed up onto the frames from below.  Get it now?
Title: Re: a Better Way to Dust for Mites with Powdered Sugar?
Post by: annette on February 15, 2009, 01:43:02 pm
Got it