Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: jayj200 on September 26, 2014, 11:28:21 AM

Title: does this work as well
Post by: jayj200 on September 26, 2014, 11:28:21 AM
I have be thinking, about what to do for varoia would this work?

would uncapping the drones with a uncapping fork work? or would they just recap the drones.

then would the queen decide I was mean and viscus. then becoming mean hive?
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: Michael Bush on September 26, 2014, 11:48:16 AM
>I have be thinking, about what to do for varoia would this work?
>would uncapping the drones with a uncapping fork work? or would they just recap the drones.

Hard to say.  If you damage them in any way, they will remove them.  You can remove them with the uncapping fork if that is your intent anyway.  If they are not damaged they might recap them.  I would say uncapping them without damaging them would be difficult.

>then would the queen decide I was mean and viscus. then becoming mean hive?

The queen could care less.  Once you're done and gone, the bees just see work that needs to be done.  They don't fume about it like people do.  If they get mean it will be either because you set them off while you were doing this or genetics or the time of year (dearth etc.).
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: jayj200 on September 26, 2014, 12:29:11 PM
Thanks Michael

I don't have mites now in either of my two. and like every one else I don't want them.

just picked up ideas for when We get viroa virus
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: Michael Bush on September 26, 2014, 05:33:29 PM
>I don't have mites now in either of my two.

Yes, you do.  You just haven't had a PROBLEM with mites yet...

>...for when We get viroa virus

Varroa mites.  They do spread viruses, but they are not viruses...

Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: jayj200 on September 27, 2014, 09:00:45 AM
Varroa mites.  They do spread viruses, but they are not viruses...

What are you trying to say?
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: BeeMaster2 on September 27, 2014, 09:07:40 AM
Quote from: jayj200 on September 27, 2014, 09:00:45 AM
Varroa mites.  They do spread viruses, but they are not viruses...

What are you trying to say?
Jay,
What he is saying is that varroa mites are parasites. They transmit viruses from one bee to another.
Jim
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: jayj200 on September 27, 2014, 07:27:47 PM
mike and jim

been in all four of the hives in the back yard I see NO mites nada
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: BeeMaster2 on September 27, 2014, 09:41:58 PM
Quote from: jayj200 on September 27, 2014, 07:27:47 PM
mike and jim

been in all four of the hives in the back yard I see NO mites nada
Jay,
Mites are very hard to see on the bees. Where are you looking? If you have screen bottom boards the best place to check is in a dry oil pan or place a tray under it.
I have had the observation hive for 4 years now and I have never seen a mite on a bee and I am always looking for them. I do find a mite every few days in the clean out trays but most of them are dead. I lot of them are light colored,  males, which means they came out of a cell of a newly hatched bee.
Another good place to look for mites is to open drone brood with a decapping tool and pull the drone larvae out. If you have mites they will show up there.
Jim
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: buzzbee on September 28, 2014, 06:54:44 PM
Take a toothpick and start pulling drone larvae out from the cappings. If they are present,mites are fairly easy to see on the larvae once removed from the cell.
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: Michael Bush on September 29, 2014, 09:24:00 AM
>been in all four of the hives in the back yard I see NO mites nada

They are very hard to see until you have seen some... here are some pictures:
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Varroa2.jpg (http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Varroa2.jpg)
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Varroa3.jpg (http://www.bushfarms.com/images/Varroa3.jpg)

And some information:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm#varroa (http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm#varroa)
Title: Re: does this work as well
Post by: jayj200 on September 29, 2014, 10:12:36 AM
I have seen on other bees Nada on mine