tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815171399040237349.post5653511647648739132..comments2023-05-20T10:25:54.118-04:00Comments on Strumelia's Blog: Checking bee pupae for mitesStrumeliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07111992200177574268noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815171399040237349.post-3519864316674201742010-06-04T15:31:28.760-04:002010-06-04T15:31:28.760-04:00Thanks for the advice! It is very helpful!Thanks for the advice! It is very helpful!Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738864691732179532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815171399040237349.post-68617500619418807322010-06-04T10:54:21.874-04:002010-06-04T10:54:21.874-04:00Hi Michelle,
you get a couple of 'drone frames...Hi Michelle,<br />you get a couple of 'drone frames- either the green plastic ones or just buy a 10-pack of drone sized wax foundation like I did.<br />I would check at *least* twice a year- in summer and in Fall. Spring/summer/fall would be best I'd think.<br />Yes, the mites prefer to breed in the larger drone pupae cells. You wait until the drone brood has been capped for a week or so. It is kind of an icky job, but better than using miticides.<br />You can just CHECK for mites by opening some capped drone cells anywhere on the frames. But if you find a bunch of mites you can put in a whole special drone frame like I did, and use it as a place to lure the mites and then freeze-kill them periodically. <br />Nothing will eliminate all of the mites, not even pesticide treatments, ...but monitoring their numbers and keeping the mite population down is important.<br /><br />I use open screen bottom board and upper entrances too, to keep good air circulation going.Strumeliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07111992200177574268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8815171399040237349.post-44790150217418406302010-06-03T23:38:46.290-04:002010-06-03T23:38:46.290-04:00I'd much rather check for mites the way you di...I'd much rather check for mites the way you did it. We were taught to use the sugar method, the alcohol method or the screen bottom board. I really wish I had that screen bottom board before I hived my bees. I don't want to do the alcohol method or sugar :(<br /><br />How often do you check for these mites? I was just going to do it once in the fall, would you suggest more often? The mites are attracted to the drone brood, correct? and then transfer onto the females later?Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738864691732179532noreply@blogger.com