How to count mites the fast way

[WillH]

I actually use a 1/2 cup per box, so for hives that have 2 boxes I use 1 cup (1/2 cup from each box). I don't agree that alcohol wash is more accurate, in my experience I got better results with sugar shake. (alcohol wash is faster, sugar shake takes time) 

About killing bees, I don't want to kill bees unnecessarily when they can be useful for the hive. For a small hive, like a nuc, 300 nurse bees can be very valuable.

I always record my mite counts as percentages rather than a real count. So I don't have to record how many bees were used.  Any time mite count exceeds 3% I know I have a problem. This year I tested all my hives monthly and the percentages were below 3% until last test on August 26th. I treated all hives that had % over 3. Two hives still have less than 1%. I will be testing them in a week and will treat them only if the count is over 3%.

[edward]

The amount of bees should represent the size of the hive, also it is important use the same measure of bees each time so you can compair accurately between hives and time.

[Jim134]

WillH,........

What  percentage is 300 bees to the hive ???

What percentage is 300 bees to the nuc ???

I see you use 600 Bees to hive what is the percentage is that to the population of the colony ???

               BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[WillH]

300 bees are about 1% of a strong hive at this time (600 would be 2%). That is assuming the population is around 30000 in early September in a populous hive. For a nuc it would be about 2%. The question is 1% or 2% important? It depends. My point is why kill bees if you can achieve the same result without them.

[Jim134]

At what time of year do you make your nucs ???



             BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)



             

[Jim134]

IMHO..
   it sounds like your nucs at 15000 to me that's just a weak hive.I make my winter nukes around the 4th of July with queen cell use the Michael Palmer method.when you make a split that time of with no new brood.It will be about 10 to 14 days before she starts laying again.this will make the mite low drop.no need to do a I might count on this is why African bees can handle mites lots of brood brakes.

     If you do not know what the Michael Palmer method is just google sustainable beekeeping you will find something on YouTube. the nucs only for frames with about 4,000 bees.

Part 1
http://tinyurl.com/o663ctq
 
Part 2
http://tinyurl.com/nz8lt7x






        BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

[Jim134]

      You should be doing mite counts the first of August in Northeast the and decide if you are going to treat or treatment you should be all done with treatment by the second week or 3rd week in August. The reason being bees are trying to make winter bees in September you need aboat two rounds of laying 21 days about you don't want sick bees to go into the winter.




                      BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[Jim134]

How to properly do a sugar-roll method. It's okay to believe if these bees come out unscathed or not.
 
http://youtu.be/oFL7zbTHUy8

Alcohol wash method for phoretic varroa mite sampling

http://youtu.be/yUzsU5trBP4




                      BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

[WillH]

I started keeping bees in 2010 and in 2011 all my hives except one were wiped out by Varroa as I did not do anything about the mites. Since then I have made dealing with Varroa  the most important part of my keeping bees. I have never lost a hive to mites since 2011.

This year I did my grafting on May 12th and made some nucs with queen cells. All queens hatched and mated well and out of 12 nucs I made I sold 5 and the 7 I kept are now full hives in double deeps. I only over winter in double deeps. I had no success keeping them as nucs through our harsh winters. Last year I had 100% success wintering my colonies despite a very cold winter. I did not buy any packages this spring. ( I canceled the order I had for packages.) I take mite counts all year and act when they go up.

[Jim134]

    Do you believe your winters as harsh as northern Vermont along the Canadian border where Michael Palmer keep his bees ??? The joke is to find Michael Palmer Bee Yard you go to Canada walk along the border the bees you see in the USA are his.He does have a lot of bee yards less than a mile to Canada

IMHO
This is more reality they a joke.
   The joke is to find Michael Palmer Bee Yard you go to Canada walk along the border the bees you see in the USA are his. He does have a lot of bee yards less than a mile to Canada


   I have seen the snow packed so deep in northern Vermont in March that you cannot find 3 deep hives.You need to shovel down so you can find them



              BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)