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Author Topic: varroa with the kung-fu grip  (Read 3005 times)

Offline wtiger

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varroa with the kung-fu grip
« on: August 13, 2007, 10:15:20 pm »
Today while watching the bees I saw a flightless bee on the ground and now I finally understand why the honeybees can't groom the varroa mite off.  I lit the bee crawl onto my finger and watched it frantically grooming itself trying to get a mite off.  No matter how hard the bee tried to scrub it off it hung on and scampered all over the poor bee.  I didn't realize the varroa was as fast as it was.  I swear the bee got a hold of the varroa with almost every swipe of it's legs, but the darn thing just wouldn't come off.  Needless to say after seeing that I'm going to sugar dust them a couple times a week for the next month to try and reduce their numbers before it gets cold and the bees stop brood rearing.

Offline Understudy

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Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2007, 10:20:16 pm »
The velcro of insects.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline qa33010

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Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2007, 03:10:05 am »
   Now if you can only patent it...
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline Cindi

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Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2007, 02:00:10 pm »
wtiger.  Doesn't that just make ya feel sick.  That poor little bee.  I have seen how fast the varroa mite crawls when I did a sugar dusting and there were a couple alive on the board.  I picked it up and put it on a piece of white paper to watch it, and yes, no wonder they can get around all over the bees body to avoid being brushed off.  Downright nasty little critters.  Have a wonderful day, best of this life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2007, 08:42:10 pm »
They are quite fast and they can jump to another bee as it tries to groom it off...
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
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