Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: wtiger on August 13, 2007, 10:15:20 pm

Title: varroa with the kung-fu grip
Post by: wtiger 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.

Title: Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
Post by: Understudy on August 13, 2007, 10:20:16 pm

The velcro of insects.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Title: Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
Post by: qa33010 on August 14, 2007, 03:10:05 am

   Now if you can only patent it...

Title: Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
Post by: Cindi 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

Title: Re: varroa with the kung-fu grip
Post by: Michael Bush 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...