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Checking for Varroa Mites
Today we are checking for the varroa mite.
The varroa mite is a tiny parasite capable of annihilating entire bee colonies. It gains access to the hives as a stowaway, lays its eggs in the breeding cells of the honeycombs and infects the bees with viruses and bacteria. Infestation can be fatal for the colony.
A few weeks back, Kevin found a high number of the mites in one of the hives. If more than 5 mites are found in a sample of 150 bees, the hive must be treated for infestation.
Kevin treated the bees. Now we are going back to see if the treatment worked.
"The happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist. For man it is to know that and to wonder at it."
Jacques Yves Cousteau
We prepare for inspection as usual (see Inspecting A Hive). We also bring a mason jar with alcohol for the mite test. Kevin takes a frame and shakes about 150 bees into the alcohol. He then covers the jar and swishes the bees around.
Later, Kevin pours the jar through a strainer into an old pickle jar.
Oh oh! There’s a mite.
He strains it again through a coffee filter for a better look. The good news is we only found one mite in the sample of bees. This means the treatment helped and the colony is healthier and stronger now.
