EASY VARROA MITE TEST Using Rubbing Alcohol - Step-By-Step Guide

[@DH-hz5qw]

You are amazing, girl! Thank you! I just installed a nuc three days ago but started with watching your videos about a month ago, now that i have the colony, I realized I have a lot more watching to do haha! Thank you for being awesome

[@cemturhal]

Thank you for the video, especially the last section interpreting the results!

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

Glad it was helpful!

[@timurich4270]

Good content. I like how you used the strainer and paper towel to preserve the rubbing alcohol.

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

Thanks! Yeah, the rubbing alcohol you can reuse so many times. I've also been told you can use dish soap if you don't have rubbing alcohol, but I'm not sure the ratio of soap to water.

[@timurich4270]

@@BeekeepingMadeSimple Also, I took your advice and went out and got a small wholesale account at a local meat market. I was intimidated to do it, but your video prompted me. They put in a $300 order in Dec and another in January. Dickering over the margins was kind of fun. Now I want one more account. So, just know that the content on wholesale accounts and pricing honey have been helpful and appreciated.

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

@@timurich4270 Hi Tim. Thanks for your message! I'm so happy to hear that it helped you. Don't be shy about telling people about your other wholesale accounts when trying to get more. That's great they put in an order two months in a row! They must have a big demand for it.

[@winjoda]

Great content - I've had my first nuc about 3 weeks now. I found my way here looking for info about burr comb, but they have found your information very accessible for a new beekeeper. Both you and Randy Oliver scare me with those cups of alcohol! In one of his videos he actually set the open-top cup directly on top of the frames. That is one bump away from several frames of alcohol washed bees! You only had the open cup with alcohol in your hand as you did a few things with the hive, so probably much less risk. I just know that I'm clumsy enough that I'll be taking every precaution to keep the alcohol far away from where it could spill into the hive! Thanks again for your videos!!

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

That's funny. I've never had a cup of alcohol fall into a hive yet! A little folding table is definitely helpful if you have one.

[@harvestmaid5669]

great teacher🤗🤗

[@saltwater4892]

If yo have a new bee package I instaled 2 weeks ago (my first one) should i treat for mites just to be safe or wait?

[@noahriding5780]

I liked this video! I'm also curious if you think varroa is affected by or influenced by how hot or cold a climate is? (This is a great thing to ask you since you have experience w living in more than one climate.) I am curious to ask also if the no kill sugar shake method will over time make the bees more defensive? And do people tend to do the sugar shake method for if a colony is smaller then? (No kill might be more suited to if a colony can't lose bees?) Its really fun to talk bees with you and others. Very excited for the bee season opening up.

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

Noah, the varroa is terrible here because we have no frost. People assume beekeeping with no cold winter means your bees live forever, but what it means is that small hive beetle and varroa mite populations grow and grow and I've seen them destroy yards of hundreds of hives in just months. I don't know if they're more active in 60F weather versus 90F weather, but since most are in the hive which the bees regulate the temperature of, I doubt they are affected too much. I did read in a book a study where they shook a hive often and they found those bees to be "depressed". The book is called "Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed". I saw it at the library one day and had to read it. I don't remember how often they bothered the hive, but regular disturbances definitely upsets the hive. It is possible that the next week, when you inspect your hive, those bees from your mite test will remember their last encounter with you. I enjoy reading your musings. Keep 'em coming.

[@Nana9112go]

What would you recommend for treatment of mites in a hot climate? We are very hot this summer. Thank you

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

Apivar works well even when it's hot. You can use oxalic acid, but it's not as effective when there's brood present (you will have to administer it numerous times about 5-6 days apart for a few weeks) and in humid climates.

[@Nana9112go]

@@BeekeepingMadeSimple thank you so much!! Have a great week.

[@ldrtoldm2570]

Can I just assume I have mites and treat every late summer?

[@kavindrasinghthapa3897]

Does alcohol expell varoa mite??

[@BeekeepingMadeSimple]

The varroa mite falls off of the bees when you soak the bees in alcohol.

[@kavindrasinghthapa3897]

@@BeekeepingMadeSimple yes it is true , but bees die off in Alchohol solution.

[@eylensuer1748]

@@BeekeepingMadeSimple what we learned that instead of alcohol you can put sugar powder. Shake the container then let the beed out and count the mites...have you tried it? What do you think?

[@patrickkeating2860]

@@eylensuer1748 I've done that too but remember that your mite counts will be lower with powdered sugar - it's just not as effective as alcohol. I always add 50% but I'm not sure that's right