There are two kind of mites,do they both look the same ?
are you talking about varroa and tracheal mites? if so, then no. you can not see the tracheal mites.
Quote from: kathyp on August 25, 2009, 07:53:59 PM
are you talking about varroa and tracheal mites? if so, then no. you can not see the tracheal mites.
How do you know if they have tracheal mites ?
They live in the tracheal tubes that the bees breath through if I understand them right. From what I have heard and read you have to dissect the bees and look under a microscope to see them. I think you can send them in to be tested for free. Not sure how to do the later.
Quote from: kathyp on August 25, 2009, 07:53:59 PM
you can not see the tracheal mites.
Why not? Are they somehow invisible? :roll:
Small? Yes. Invisible? No.
Quote from: Joelel on August 25, 2009, 11:24:01 PM
Quote from: kathyp on August 25, 2009, 07:53:59 PM
are you talking about varroa and tracheal mites? if so, then no. you can not see the tracheal mites.
How do you know if they have tracheal mites ?
Quote from: bee-nuts on August 26, 2009, 02:18:51 AM
They live in the tracheal tubes that the bees breath through if I understand them right. From what I have heard and read you have to dissect the bees and look under a microscope to see them. I think you can send them in to be tested for free. Not sure how to do the later.
Send a sample to Beltsville, MD. Hope this help you
http://www.ba.ars.usda.gov/psi/brl/directs.htm
Bee Happy Jim 134 :)
QuoteWhy not? Are they somehow invisible? rolleyes
Small? Yes. Invisible? No.
They are inside the bee.
If bees have tracheal mites ,I guess there are no signs ? Do they kill the bees or hurt them or weaken them or do they get week or anything ?
I read or heard that if they are flopping around on the ground by the hive and not flying off, they could have trachael mites. Also, I think I heard that their wings look funny.
They will die from it, so I imagine it would weaken a hive eventually.
Again, I'm super newbee and that is hearsay. Hopefully someone who know better might give us some details about signs/symptoms and effects.
Thanks! love,
ziffa
Tracheal mites are too small to see with the naked eye. They are white and look more like a shrimp. Varroa are large enough to see with the naked eye and look like a very small tick or a crab with very short legs.
Pretty much everyone has stopped treating for tracheal mites and to that extent the issues with them have gone away as bees are resistant now. If everyone would stop treating for the Varroa we would be in the same place with them...