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Author Topic: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite  (Read 4230 times)

Offline Zamboy13

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Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« on: April 10, 2011, 02:49:42 am »
Hi everyone!

I just discovered something although, its not really practical and I was just goofing around with my bees. :-D

I just realized that calamansi juice/calamondin juice is effective in killing varroa mites and it does not seem to affect the bees at all. When I was inspecting my bees, I saw one bee with a varroa mite attached on it. The bee still has intact wings, so I used a net to catch the bee and then with a straight forceps I dipped the bee in a saucer of calamansi juice. The mite instantly died and was detached from the bee. I then dipped the bee in sugar syrup and as soon as the bee dried up. I facilitated her back to the entrance and she moved back inside the hive.

I figured since calamansi juice is basically similar to an orange except that it is way smaller than an orange, I think freshly squeezed orange juice will have the same effect. That's all folks.

Offline gaucho10

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2011, 03:17:56 am »
Why did you choose to try calamasi juice?  Why not kerosene ?
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Online Michael Bush

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2011, 06:52:41 am »
Someone posted a recent study using lemon juice to kill Varroa.  I still think it's too much work.  I'm having no Varroa issues and don't have to DO anything.  I have to NOT do a lot of things, like treat, or wire foundation... but foundationless and small cell are doing fine.
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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Offline Zamboy13

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2011, 07:20:08 am »
Kerosene would definitely kill the bees :-D

I'm also planning to use foundation less frames but won't the bees take too much time to build the comb?
« Last Edit: April 10, 2011, 09:58:43 am by Zamboy13 »

Offline gaucho10

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2011, 08:43:01 am »
Michael Bush,  I know that you don't have a problem with varroa mites but do you have ANY hives without mites?  This week I checked one of my hives and found no (nada, niet, none) varroa mites on the bottom board.  Every other time I checked any of my hives I would usually find signs of varroa on the BB but not this time.  All my hives came through the winter in good health.
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Offline Zamboy13

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2011, 10:01:14 am »
Gaucho10, what kind of honeybees do you have? (Italian, Carnolian, Russian, buckfast, all american etc). I've read somewhere that there is a kind of queen bee that is very hygienic and helps reduce mite population or something like that.

Offline DCHoneybees

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2011, 12:40:57 pm »
ZamBoy

Check out this vid of the comb-building progress of my newly installed hive (into a 6-frame Nuc).  It is after only 8 days into empty frames.  It is a 3-lb package from Gardners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFd2RUlWlRM#ws

They are pretty industrious girls!

Offline gaucho10

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2011, 03:38:37 pm »
Zemboy13,

I only have four hives in my one acre lot at present.  I go from 4 to 7 during the summer months.

Last year I took two swarms and removed various cutouts.  One of the swarms had a very dark brown and black queen but there were only two handfulls of bees.  I merged that swarm with one of my Italian hives.  Lets call that hive #1.

I know that one of my other hives was from a purchased NUC and had a Carniolan queen.  Lets call that hive #2.

My other two hives went into winter with Italian queens.  Lets call them hive #3 and #4.

Several weeks ago we had one warm day up in the mid 60ºF.  I managed to inspect hives #2, #3 and #4.  Hive #1 did not get inspected.  So....my inspection revealed that hive #2, #3 and #4 all had dark brown queens...  Darker than Italians anyway...  They could possibly be Carniolans because I don't know of anybody in this area with Russian bees.   Except for that Carniolan NUC, all my bees are from ferral colonies (mutts !)  Don't know...Last week's inspection was quick but I will get a better look this week...temps should be near 70ºF.
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Offline gaucho10

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2011, 07:25:05 pm »
Zamboy13,

After an inspection today I will venture to say that all four of my hives as of today are Carniolan.
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Offline Shanevrr

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2011, 09:12:02 pm »
looked like he did have strips of foundation in there, toward end of video.
www.Valleybeesupply.com
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Online Michael Bush

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2011, 01:31:45 am »
>Michael Bush,  I know that you don't have a problem with varroa mites but do you have ANY hives without mites?

I have some where I have trouble finding any mites.  But I doubt there are any without any mites.  But sometimes I don't have any on the tray on the bottom and none in a sugar roll.
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 Zamboy13

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2011, 03:06:32 am »
gaucho10

I read somewhere that one other way of detecting if your queen is Carnolian aside from its darker color is if it is smaller in size as compared to an Italian queen. I guess your Carnolian queens are doing great! I think they're more "hygienic" than an Italian queen.

I'm just a beginner so mine is an Italian queen but I do plan to purchase a Carnolian.

Offline Zamboy13

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2011, 03:19:23 am »
DCHoneybees

Great Vid!

Thanks for sharing.

My first observation is that you have placed your hives on the rooftop which I think is beneficial for both the bees and the people who live in your neighborhood. Second observation, you were not wearing any protective gear, not even a veil and you did not use a smoker despite the potentially overwhelming number of bees you have. This means that your bees are not only industrious but they are also very gentle. Good for you DCHoneybees. My third observation is with regards the shape of the comb built on the foundation less frames. The bees built comb similar with that of a top bar hive frame. I guess I'll try to put one foundation less frame in my hive and see what happens.

Offline DCHoneybees

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Re: Calamansi juice can kill varroa mite
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2011, 10:43:22 pm »
Zamboy
You are very generous with your compliments!  Regarding the lack of protection...sometimes hubris overtakes common sense.  if you see the next vid you will hear my daughter the camera person squeal as she gets her initiation sting.  My thing is that if one can get folks past the concerns about being stung, then getting them to be beekeepers is easy.  So I may be a bit more bold than I should be in my vids, and my medicine cabinet has lots of benedryl in it!
Peace.
Jeff.