How to Sample for Varroa Mites: Two Methods

This video shows you how to use two sampling methods step-by-step: the powdered sugar shake method and the alcohol (or soap) wash method. Be sure to sample again after completing each treatment to make sure the treatment was effective.
This is the second in a series of short videos from the Honey Bee Health Coalition on how to manage varroa mites successfully.
Why should you effectively manage varroa mites in your honey bee colonies? Every honey bee colony in North America either has varroa mites or will in just a few months. When colonies are not treated, or are treated ineffectively, they weaken and may be more susceptible to other negative factors, such as pesticide damage, virus infections, and other maladies. Failure to control mites endangers not only your colonies but also colonies in other apiaries and feral honey bees in your area. Widespread colony deaths can cause major economic damage for beekeepers and harm essential agricultural pollination services.
Whether you have a few colonies or you manage large apiaries, these videos show practical steps you can use to better control varroa mites.
LINKS:
The Honey Bee Health Coalition: honeybeehealthcoalition.org
More varroa resources: honeybeehealthcoalition.org/v...

[@azmatkhan800]

Anyone tell me which method is better for extracting Varroa Destructor from bees. I don't want to kill bees. Is the sugar method is good or accurate?? Please give me answer if you tried it.

[@laurendoninger2693]

Where can I get the two lidded jar for that alcohol wash? Thanks.

[@user-fb9sx1er5v]

Sorry for the intrusion 3m mask What is the filter number, please, used in the mask

[@garyshaffer68]

There is another way to do mite count. Called the CO2 count. That dose not kill the bees but puts them to sleep. Look it up on KZbin.

[@Eversweetapiaries]

The sugar shake method can harm bees. It can harm their wings, legs, & antennae. While the alcohol wash is fatal to bees, unfortunately, it's the most accurate testing method

[@justtryanother7290]

It doesn’t harm them, lol yeah right exactly what I was thinking.

[@joelfoshea1683]

But those are just a hundred bees out of thousands so when you think about it it’s not doing damage to the hive

[@thomasharner1905]

I’ll do the powder suger method.. I’m not killing my bees with alcohol! 😢

[@amazoncharlie5087]

How did it go? I'm about to do my varroa testing and just cannot bring myself to deliberately kill 300 bees! Even if I kill a couple of bees during inspections or whatever, I hate that.... so it's the sugar shake for me. I read about the C02 count method but read that it was really inaccurate. anyone done it?

[@justtryanother7290]

Those poor bees they have mites to worry about on top of being treated like this.

[@deserthives]

Its better than entire colonies dying due to mites

[@deserthives]

@Justin Trudeau 😂🤣😂