We're Mite Checking Wild Honey Bee Colonies

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For the better part of decade now I've been listening to people tout the absolute necessity of Varroa mite treatment with statements like "you will lose every hive unless you treat" or "your yard is nothing but a mite bomb for every other beekeeper. Without trying to sound like I don't believe there is a problem I will say that I believe the varroa mite problem (among non commercial beekeepers) is extremely over sold. It is so over sold that from what I see and hear both personally and through all forms of social media new beekeepers typically know more about chemically treating for varroa mites than they do about how to actually manage a honey bee colony.
I happened upon a beginner beekeeping class one afternoon last year when I went to pick up some supplies at a commercial bee yard. I had no knowledge that a class was being held and no intention of interrupting it once I saw but several of the participants were subscribers to this channel and wanted to say hi. I hung out with the group for a few minutes while they finished up their Q&A portion of the class. One person in particular had been peppering the instructor with every possible mite treatment scenario that they could think of to the point no one else was getting to ask questions. When they got to a particularly technical question that she couldn't answer the question was directed to me. I asked, Isn't this a "beginner" beekeeping class?. The student replied that it was. I asked if they had any bees yet. The student replied that they were picking up their first nucs that day. I said "you don't even HAVE any bees yet and they're already sick?. Learn proper hive management before you get a doctorate in pest control." My filter was broke that day so what came to mind just popped out of my mouth. My reply may have been a bit rough but I felt I made my point and maybe even pointed him in a different direction to make his beekeeping life a little easier.
While I don't generally chemically treat there are occasions when I find it preferable to the "all natural" methods I typically employ. Even though I believe it is good to know how to chemically treat there are many good chemical free alternatives. There are even cases where no treatment at all can work. The health and successful proliferation of feral colonies world wide would serve to prove my point as no one is treating them, obviously.
I have some theories about varroa that I haven't shared publicly and I can only back up my theories with data that no one has collected yet regarding feral bees and varroa . Since I see as many feral colonies each year as almost anyone else in the world I figure who better to collect the data I need. I plan to continue this study through 2020 or until the results I'm seeing disprove what I suspect. I will be sampling each swarm and feral colony I encounter this year as well as managed colonies in the same general areas for comparison's sake. Whatever my findings I'll share when I'm done even if my theory is bunk.
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The infrared camera I use is FLIR One Pro for ios amzn.to/2RSJtjN
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This is the Bee Vac we used for this job www.allmybees....
Music - Fine With You Gone by Particle House

[@cepheus7391]

I love watching Dirt Rooster and his family. Some of the most genuinely nice people I have ever seen. It's like you were all born with a smile on your face.

[@privatebubba8876]

You can use water and dish soap instead of alcohol in your mite wash. That's what the Bee Lab in Baton Rouge uses.

[@cswatson4823]

Rooster. Yes! You mite be right. Folks mite want to understand the basics of beekeeping and mite want to get a handle on taking care of their bees before they mite be concerned about varroa mites........Mite you agree? As always. Thanks for the video. Always helpful God bless

[@matthewklump7586]

Up north you have to take care of mites or you have no bees.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Gonna bee interesting to see the mite counts in these cutouts as the year progresses.

[@Jc4elayne]

This was a good video with so much info. Loved the music with the stills too. Good job editing.

[@severthivesandhomestead]

Read your video description and can't agree more. Varroa is serious, but nuking a hive with treatments while lacking general honeybee husbandry skills is a surefire way to kill bees. Great content as always!

[@kimberlyfawn8310]

I think this is a great idea. There's nothing like gathering the data yourself.

[@newatthis50]

Love it when you two work together!! Glad you are looking at varoa in feral colonies. It seems the feral colonies are on the rise again in the Ozarks. Some thing good is happening.

[@anthonyappleyard5688]

Likely thoose bees are evolving resistance to varroa.

[@RICDirector]

LOVE the idea, love that you're collecting data regardless of expectations. Hope you're consulting with USDA varroa folks to see if your data can help them too. Love the 'frame it complete with bees' technique. Looked very peaceful. :)

[@thuffman44]

GREAT video Randy!! Nice clear, crisp, close up shots. Just gotta LOVE those comfortable mid-60 degree afternoons!! I LOVE watching you work with family!! Keep 'em coming brother!! ✌️🐝🐝🐝

[@628DirtRooster]

If it could only stay this temp year round. Thanks for the nice comment Tim.

[@OkieRob]

There must be some truth to the orange shirt. I watched the whole video while wearing a orange shirt and didn't get a single sting.

[@628DirtRooster]

And knowing some of your bees that was a real possibility. lol

[@williamkeaton1340]

OOh OOh , for standing on ladders comfortably and safely . Cut out a foot-size shadow form using your shoe L and R as template . Just a tiny bit oversize to cut holes or strap apertures . Add rope or straps as appropriate and a heel to stop any slides . Might look funky but hey comfort over panache everytime !!

[@2-4outdooradventure53]

OMG! A slant glass Monte Carlo SS! I often thought that about feral bees! No one treats them or manages them and they survive and often thrive as you show in your removals.

[@TechGorilla1987]

"....where hobby bee-keeping is a way of life....."

[@jonathanbrooks1832]

You can most certainly tell you guys are brothers. Great video

[@ptjzmemory]

I love watching and listening to you and your brother work. Have a great week!

[@scottroberts5492]

I was just watching another video about the mite and mushrooms and I was wandering what you did, when your video popped up..lol I do not use any chemicals in any of my hives as well. I also hang up swarm traps and get "free bees". Currently looking to switch over to a few Lazutin hives and see how they work out. Glad and grateful your keeping track of this keep up the good work!

[@chipfriday9967]

Anybody looking at the "2 hour 107 degree F heat treatment" treatment? A guy in South Carolina is in production of a commercial unit to treat mites? He says 85-90% mite kill and claims that it kills tracheal mites and Small Hive Beatles at no additional cost.

[@Makermook]

That's going to be a hell of an interesting study. Whatever your results, you should seriously consider publishing. There's no such thing as too much data.

[@slipshankd1307]

I have cousins that lived in Hattiesburg and in Purvis. Their last name was Dudly.

[@628DirtRooster]

They may know Tommy

[@sholbroo76]

Long time viewer of your videos. There is always something to learn. Had a brain fart while sitting here watching this one... You could auction off these feral colonies that you pull from these places. Might be kinda fun for a viewer to get one from you.

[@charlescompton4495]

You'll have to watch out that the old fellow who pulled up in the chair and watched. He may start a bee removal crew of his own. I've watched you and Mr. Ed take out a bunch of bees and even though have no idea of ever having them I enjoy watching you guys and the bees as they work to build their combs and collect the stuff to fill them up. Seeing some of the stings takes me back to when us kids went bare footed and got stung a time or two. Keep it up guys, Greg.

[@JesseG085]

KZbin recommended your channel the same week hundreds of commerical bee boxes were delivered at the orchards around my house last month. It was probably because I Googled "bee repellent". I live and work on a poultry farm and bees love the feed as much as the birds do. I get stung pretty often from accidentally smashing bees that I didn't realize landed on me. I bought a few of the camo veils from Amazon for when working around feed. I figured if they're good enough for you they're good enough for me. Thanks for the great content! Subscribed and watching past videos.

[@townsendassvlanche7956]

You should check the bees in the vac vs the bees that were not vacuumed. The vacuum has a screen that the mites could fall through and the bees cant. If there is a contestant difference you could get rid of mites by vacuuming all the bees in a colony. The mite lava would still be there but the adults would be reduced.

[@donnierobertson3088]

Great job again like always

[@ShlisaShell]

Great description.

[@628DirtRooster]

Sounded real edumacated didn't it?

[@egparis18]

Hey DirtRooster. That was one bullseye of a point you made about feral colonies and mites. I'm betting your theory is right. Meanwhile it's fun to watch you and your brother working together. Thank you for sharing and see you soon.

[@628DirtRooster]

I'm looking forward to seeing the results over the year.

[@egparis18]

@@628DirtRooster Me too.

[@crazyboy-gz3jm]

In the 50's old doctor prescribed honey w/comb for me I had BAD allergies. Almost DIED. He prescribe 2 to 4 teaspoon's of local honey not homogenized. Cured allergies only problem I have today is pollution. And I am 63 today.

[@birdnest5814]

They’re always after me Lucky Charms😂🤣

[@j8j7j9]

Yall made it look easy

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

thank you for the very great to watch clips once again

[@MoneypitHomestead]

Great video and I can’t wait to get ours later this year! Hopefully we have great luck with what we have learned from watching these videos!

[@davidcook8255]

Seeing the green pollen reminds me of when I was at Perk, there was a little old lady who’s bees produced purple honey.

[@628DirtRooster]

They do in very small quantities in the spring.

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

You got that one right..... when all else fails, read the instructions. Keep smiling.

[@suzanneguiho4882]

Thank you for this video. I always wondered about the mite load on the bees from these removal. It will be interesting to know your long at the end of the season, if you do the check on all of your removal. Thanks again.

[@SteveeSmith]

Hey Randy, long term subscriber and I'm actually doing a PhD on honeybee genetics. I'm looking into Varroa resistant colonies surviving in the wild. It's my belief that wild bees are allowed to develop resistance to the mite because they are not helped by treatments and so have to fight off the mites on their own, but I have to prove this. I'd be really interested in working with you and discussing your findings! I do know that Europe has a more dangerous type of DWV which is transmitted to the bee by varroa mites. Hopefully this type of the virus does not reach America.

[@RagdollRalph]

You seem to have such a nice familly :)

[@randlerichardson5826]

That’s the way I am if I’m outside and it’s warmish I’ll be sweating if not something is wrong great video Rooster 🐓 and your brother to GOD BLESS

[@arcitejack]

Greeeen pollen!

[@RegWhelan]

I wasn't game to ask about that one?

[@williamschulz6302]

Great video thanks 👌🤙🏿🐝🐝🍯

[@harryhadyou9364]

Liked that music at the end

[@kevimc]

12 mites that' horrible, you gotta treat them girls they got the dose

[@talcatchafarm3019]

Good stuff.

[@danschneider9219]

You have to try some northern beekeeping 15 below yesterday morning, this morning 20 above and this is mild weather up here. We are just hoping to be able to open up our hives at the end of March.

[@628DirtRooster]

I bet I'd have to wear a wind breaker.

[@danschneider9219]

@@628DirtRooster Not really, I go barefoot in this nice weather.

[@628DirtRooster]

@@danschneider9219 LOL

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

As someone on the edge of Bee Keeping(been around it, don’t do it) I think you are right, I know ones who treat with lots of chemicals and ones who use little. It will be very interesting to see what you find out in the feral hives

[@628DirtRooster]

Kind of makes you question when treatment free beats treating many times.

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

628DirtRooster Bees true. And a small load of pest is like being exposed to germs, without the exposure there isn’t any resistance, so I would think a small load would help keep the hive healthy since it would increase the resistance, just need to find the balance

[@BlessedBeJESUSCHRIST]

Mary-Ruth Flores treatment free is the only way to bee keep. If you want sustainable bees.

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

Son Rise Apiaries but if there isn’t a small load of pest then resistant isn’t being developed. Look at cotton and the boll w. Thru decades of poison, resistance was bread out, they are just now getting the cotton back to the levels of the ‘20s

[@BlessedBeJESUSCHRIST]

Mary-Ruth Flores your saying there are no pests in treatment free hives?

[@mbgal7758]

I find it fascinating that you’re doing this study. There aren’t many that are out seeing bees as often as you so you are the perfect person. I’m curious though what your opinions are about the mysterious “colony collapse disorder”. Is it something you’ve seen in your hives?

[@RegWhelan]

Sounds like a name used when the real reason isn't known

[@mbgal7758]

Reg Whelan I’ve thought the same which is why I put it in quotes like that and said the mysterious. I guess I didn’t make my sarcasm clear enough. The dangers of the written word.

[@terrik38]

you both done a great job...

[@SandraNelson063]

While the mites ARE a legitimate concern, there are a 101 other worries to have BEFORE the first new hive hits your yard. The mite issue is just ONE problem on the list. To make it the BEE all end all, ;) is a bit silly. Keeping track like you seem to be doing this year is a good idea. Good luck!

[@FloryJohann]

Mites ARE the mayor concern and mite ARE the ones that are causing at least 41 more concerns in bee keeping. Control mites and you have a very good chance to keep your bees.

[@hunterwalters3993]

Hate I missed this one I would of made the trip to Hattiesburg!!! Lol love you videos keep em coming

[@JayHughart]

Fantastic Idea. Shouldn't the sample of bees be taken from a section of brood? Still I say just do it the way you did it, fascinating to see the results!

[@drhank33y]

That oldtimer was not impressed with the honey, lol. Two licks and he gave it back .. heh

[@dwightcarter6334]

3 amazing rarities in one video..... Film camera Man reading instructions Dirt rooster with a veil You’ve set the bar my friend!!

[@628DirtRooster]

Not sure I can top that.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

You were in good company with Tommy! He probably has the love for bacon like you do but maybe a slightly smaller quantity, maybe. GOOD DEAL on the mite hunting. My old picking buddy was always talking about them and how much it was costing to treat for them. He had over 200 hives and if he hit them all it'd be a nice chunk of change. You did good about the class comment too. Keep after it, Pal! Mr. Ed needs more technical data for his classes, HA!

[@wasatchhawk]

How about a video on that DIY vaporizer? Or at least a few more details on what you are using.

[@628DirtRooster]

I'll see what he's got done next time I'm up there.

[@montyrackley612]

Yeah I want to see that also

[@anthonybowers6024]

Wow, its a rare find when the Rooster posts a video framing up brood with bees still on it. That's a JP move. I usually catch Ya suckin' Em' all up Mr. Ed style;) Yeah, I know... time is of the essence. Curio though. What's it mean when those girls squeeze their hind legs together & twirl their tails in the air? Anybody figure that out LOL.

[@thuffman44]

Self-grooming, or “autogrooming,” enables bees to remove ectoparasites, dust, and pollen from their own bodies and helps disperse pheromones (Boecking & Spivak, 1999). ✌️🐝🐝🐝

[@paulchristu996]

Oh. You were talking about THOSE girls. Not the ones at the mall.

[@michaelfike7542]

Something is knocking in the box whatever it is it wants out.

[@serega_craftsmen]

Good! 🐝🍯👍

[@montyrackley612]

I want to see the lay-out of the oxalic acid vaporizer he was making. They say they are relatively easy to make with an ole glow plug and I need to make one, always looking for better ideais

[@marcoantoniogranillochapa]

Hey man. You missed your traditional intro! "... Where beekeeping is a waaay of life". Cheers from down south.

[@628DirtRooster]

Hey Marco. I'll have to do it up extra next time. lol

[@jerrya27]

i want that monte Carlo

[@edcoffin3514]

Blue windshield wash works in the mite check😎😎😎

[@natserog]

Ive been doing that for years. Most dont have a mite in there. wonder why? ....People drugging bees to keep weak bees alive. ..let the weak die. Carry on STRONG genetics

[@badassbees3680]

You have bees that can beat Varroa without Swarming or Absconding to leave the problem behind and I'm all in,I've had wild bees,mite Maulers,Ankle biters etc. Etc..etc... and haven't found a bee that can beat em yet . and if you only breed Survivor stock ALWAYS,then you don't breed for anything else such as Production....

[@natserog]

@@badassbees3680 there are numerous survival bee folks out there that have not treated for decades and hives thrive. It doesnt come easy...long road. ..Its all in the testing and eliminating the weak. It takes many years but with 100% certainty if you are diligent in the process you will succeed. . When folks say you have to treat or all your bees will die is just not truth. Its easier for folks to follow the commercial treatment route and drink the koolaid that says you must keep treating weak bees to keep them alive. It also sells product. --

[@pnwRC.]

@@natserog It's kind of like the CDC! First it was the bird flu, then the pig flu, now it's coronavirus. EVERY time they say we need to get flu shots, or we WILL DIE! I've never gotten a flu shot since I left the U.S. Army in '96, & I've not been killed by any of these so called super flu bugs/epidemics!

[@badassbees3680]

@@natserog yeah the problem with that is if you move them bees are different viruses and then they're not resistant once again

[@mark-wn5ek]

How long have folks been on earth? You know any mosquito resistant people? How about flea resistant dogs? There's no mite resistant bees either. Mites are parasites, so are fleas and mosquitos and leeches, etc. When a host comes along, they'll latch on. What keeps them off or drives them away? Flea powder, DEET and for mites......oxalic acid, thymol, formic acid, apivar, etc. If you don't treat your bees, they'll die from infestation. Ol' Rover will get mange from the fleas and people contract malaria from skeeters. Funny thing about folks that keep bees and own a dog. They'll buy a $65 flea collar for the mutt but won't treat they bees. Go figure.

[@SewFrancine6120]

I can't believe that guy set up a chair to talk you through it. Doesn't that gentleman know YOU'RE HANDLING BEES

[@Gawonii1Austencao]

Wing King is awesome, we have one down here, and I think Pineapple Habanero is the best dipping sauce

[@nodvick]

19-teens or 20's "doctor": So yeah autopsy's done, died of `bad blood` and lack of ether, if only we got to them in time to bleed their leg, oh well - gonna go deliver a baby in the next room over, oh hey, buddy, you should eat the comb too, it's good for you! I think there's some running water over in building C if you wanna wash the stickyness off your hands.

[@bdanza]

Nice, Dylan definitely spits hot fire

[@628DirtRooster]

You know he does!

[@joem5245]

Hey Randy, I also use "natural" methods to treat due to my concern with the unknown impacts of chemical treatment on hive ecology (and have been chided for it), so I was really curious about the data you gathered and any conclusions or at least ideas that came from this study you are doing. Any updates on this? Thanks

[@SpenceBeGarbage]

Oh my lord, that man done sat out his lawn chair to watch you fellas work. Ain’t too different than my boss - plopped down chatting to me while I’m bustin’ tail up a ladder!

[@saucywench9122]

I did it with a swarm catch in my neighborhood last spring. I told him he'd need a ladder and he didn't listen this lost the swarm when it absconded.

[@Pinion512]

My first experience was having a beekeeper out to collect bees, I did the same thing. I told him up front that I was interested but would stay out of his way. The next experience I had, I told the 'keeper that I would stay out of the way and let them work. If they needed me, I'd be willing to help. The handed me a suit and got me in the thick of a cutout from a tree. I was hooked after that and a few weeks later, they helped me trap a swarm and got me set up. Most people are curious to a point and don't want to be in the way. So kicking back in a lawn chair is okay in my book.

[@chipfriday9967]

@@Pinion512 You should name them to give them credit for: (A) being excellent human beings and (B) educating and adding a new bee keeper to this MOST COOL Hobby/Business. That helps the bees (in general) and all of us beekeepers to be specific!

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

Need some long arms for those back combs. That’s a cool alcohol washer. I mite have to get one of those. 🤪 Nice still shots...........looser! 😂 Didn’t see any Canon cripple hammers after the Fuji. That’s a good thing.

[@628DirtRooster]

Sony help me. I need a micro four sixths and a baby pineapple. Darn you with your ten bit recording with the blurry background!

[@leeharris3061]

Nice vid as always..wish it was in the 60's here in Minnesota...i suppose a guy(me)should already know but i dont have a clue.. where do bees go in the winter when its cold??..thanks love your channel

[@stevewelches1955]

The do not go anywhere. They cluster. That is they get in to a ball shape in the hive to share heat. As the bees on the out side get cold they move to the middle and get warm and the heat generated from the cluster keeps the inside of the hive a lot warmer then the outside temp. A large enough cluster will keep the inside of the hive above freezing in ‐40 degree temps. Hope this helps you understand

[@lunaphasefastthoughts]

Carpenter Bees!

[@simmonsjn8]

4% time to treat!

[@dougallen4675]

What is Brood Comb vs other types of combs you are talking about?

[@Highstranger951]

Think about it, who are the five greatest rappers? Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan and Dylan

[@628DirtRooster]

That's because he spits hot fiya.

[@danielhockenberry3856]

Loved the colony removal. Great idea to check for mites. What brand of mite testing container are you using? I'd love to get one of those.

[@628DirtRooster]

Easycheck from Mann Lake

[@tedbiven200]

Enjoy exchanges between you and mr ed. What do you think of horizontal hives?

[@RegWhelan]

There seems to be some sort of a problem in areas that ice over. The queen seems to get trapped in a small number of workers and they seem to die.

[@notsunkyet]

Starting @10:08 - is that a small hive beetle on the back of his neck? Thanks for sharing!

[@jkell42]

Does this count for a cut-out against Mr Ed if you aren’t on the ladder? I love seeing this work.

[@paulawaldrep3760]

Sure wish you would make a video on how you transition the cut outs onto foundation frames!! :)

[@RegWhelan]

You can see in the video where the brood comb is mounted into frames using no 64 rubber bands. You just need to remember to locate the comb in the same orientation as it was found in the hive. As a hint cells on either side of the center of the comb both point upward so as to hold nectar until the cells are dehydrated and capped.

[@paulawaldrep3760]

@@RegWhelan we are located in deep south Texas. Rubber band melts way to fast. We use hardware cloth spikes but the State inspection does not permit for long. Need to transfer to foundation frames because wax without foundation WILL MELT!!! thanks anyway!

[@Cinos03]

Do the bees live through the alcohol mite check?

[@628DirtRooster]

No

[@charliesheads5906]

Will the bees secure the comb to the frame before they cut the rubber bands?

[@628DirtRooster]

Yes

[@highlandhoneybee]

How do ferrel bees deal with varroa? No one is going out and treating all these ferrel hives. Are they dying every year and new swarms taking up housekeeping? Are they naturally doing brood breaks? Are they becoming VSH over time? A combination? Or something else... We can learn much from nature if we but only listen and observe.

[@628DirtRooster]

I can already answer some of those questions and hope to answer a lot more in the next year.

[@scottmarshall6766]

"My filter was broken that day" - happens to me all he time. I for one would like to hear your thoughts on the mite issue and general hive health. I tend to be a skeptic on a lot of this sort of hype. People just naturally love to play up the drama, and things are almost never as bad as you'll hear they are. Add to that the marketing hype generated by the purveyors of mite killer chemicals and gadgets, and you'd think all the bees are gonna die tomorrow if you don't get a whiz-bang mite destructor machine (with lots of refill packs) right now! In any case, you're collecting some valuable real world information on the state of wild bees (in your area, but i"d bet it's a pretty good indicator of the nation wide situation). That information will help us amateurs make more informed decisions. (probably to the disappointment of mite killer marketers) For me, a total newbie, I'm going to be collecting local swarms come spring here in NY, I plan on testing once the hives are established, and have a bottle of OA and cheap vaporizer on hand in case I need to treat. I'm well aware that until I learn the ropes, I'm more dangerous to the bees than the mites. I'll be paying close attention to your data and thoughts on the subject.

[@628DirtRooster]

I'm a hard sell when it comes to anything hyped as much as mite treatment. I hate to cost anyone sales of their precious magic mite machines but it might happen. If all the hype was true (CCD, Africanized, Varroa, Tracheal mites and so on) we would have all been dead years ago or at the very least be struggling to feed our country.

[@papasplace2]

You and your brother are having wayyyyyy to much fun Bro..... LOL

[@628DirtRooster]

We'll have to take you to Wing King one day.

[@papasplace2]

@@628DirtRooster :)

[@hockinghillshoneyfarm9273]

Randy what does 628 Dirt rooster stand for? love your videos keep them coming and i think 12 mites in a wash is high hopefully you treated them.

[@GrimKeeper9011]

It was a dirt bike. That was what his channel was originally going to be about.

[@hockinghillshoneyfarm9273]

@@GrimKeeper9011 Thanks always wondered

[@tinaspann7745]

What did you do to keep another group of bees from coming to that spot in the house?

[@628DirtRooster]

Proper exterior repairs

[@greenecrayon]

So what do you do about the mites?

[@terribethreed8464]

Wow! What a coincidence. My Mom had the same book she found at a rummage sale. The Dr.'s daughter published her fathers book after he passed away. He was a Dr. in the middle to late 1800's & wrote the book about old folk medicines he was studying. It even had one about drinking apple cider vinegar w/cold water & honey. Everybody thinks it's the new age stuff lmao! If they only knew it was that old lol. I'm 66 now & have been using honey & honey comb for my allergies since I was a kid & some of the other remedies in his book. Is there any chance at all you could make a copy of it for me? My step Dad & brother lost Mom's stuff after she passed away at the young age mid 50's. I'd give anything for a copy of that book. Please let me know if you would.

[@samanthasimental3788]

How do you treat for mites.

[@notsunkyet]

Have you heard about book or pseudo scorpions as a predator for the varroa mites? I think each one can dispatch about 9 mites a day. Even catch 'em while eating one.

[@628DirtRooster]

Those aren't in the US as far as I know

[@melonmuncha1657]

tommy aint got jokes

[@Gawonii1Austencao]

did yall kill the queen in this hive from the mite check? In the future checks, maybe you can scoop at the beginning, instead of at the end.

[@Wolfmancollectibles]

Stupid question, when you shake the bees in the rubbing alcohol; does it kill those bees!

[@628DirtRooster]

Yes

[@jdjd7127]

I always get stung when I wear bright colors

[@ayoungbeekeepersjourneyjm.8007]

Lol why did the roaster punch himself 🤣🤣🤣

[@chipfriday9967]

Is insurance difficult to find and expensive? Do you go to the bother of putting "new bees" from ANY source in an Isolation Apiary before you bring them "home"? Have you run across any Africanized bees yet? Tried car windshield washing fluid as your alcohol fluid yet in your mite check kit? It is cheaper, and has a surfactant that may help dislodge the mites. Stay hydrated, stay safe!

[@628DirtRooster]

Insurance can run around a grand a year. I don't isolate all hives. No africanized. haven't tried washer fluid. I'll try. ;)

[@Pinpon-ni8vc]

Where about in Florida are you guys?

[@628DirtRooster]

Far eastern end of Florida. Little place called Mississippi.

[@garyshaffer68]

That's a high mite count for spring. That would be 4 percent. U need to treat.

[@jeanlilley3139]

You and bro sound and look alike.

[@mjhabitat6437]

is that a easy vap your brother was making ?

[@kurtismckemmie4850]

Guy in the orange looks like your twin brother.