It's time to do a mite check, right? I'm wondering how the heck I can do a mite count with the very little amount of bees that I have? When I was able to look a week and a half ago, it seemed to me like they had just enough bees to cover the new brood. Should I just not worry about it for now?
A powdered sugar roll will kill no bees if you want to quantify the mites.
I would not bother them with just a few bees. Why are you concerned about this hive, sounds like it is new. Is it a swarm hive? If so, let them bee.
Jim
I was thinking about a sugar roll but then my whole hive would be running around looking white. lol You ask a better question Mr. Bush..."if you want to quantify the mites"...right. Do I really want to put that extra stress on them at this point to see how many mites there are?...thanks Mr. Bush
It is my overwintered hive from last year. There just aren't much left but it seems like they're pulling through. I'll know more this weekend. Thanks Jim.
Yvonne - My surviving hive was tiny this year and they are building up slowly, but visibly. I was wondering also when I should do my first roll. I think we're good through May, so I'll probably wait for another few weeks. I'd like them to at least fill a box.
I would not do a mite count before the honey flow begins unless I saw signs of deformed wings or other problems. Give them time to build up before disturbing them. Each entry into the hive costs them 3 days or so of progress.
Yes, Robin, I saw you say that your cluster was so small too which made me feel a lot better about mine. I haven't seen any DWV this spring. I think our flow will start here very soon. I've definitely decided to wait a bit.
Something that is not quite so evasive. I believe you would get I feel to see if there's any mites in the hive. As to do a natural mite drop through a screened bottom board onto a sticky board.(24Hr.) With so few bees I definitely would have the screen bottom boards covered all the time. If I use them at all.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
I did have a screened bottom board on last year. I did like how you could look at the drop easily. I kept it closed but during one of our hottest nights, I opened the bottom to see if they like it. I went out at about 1 am and there was so much noise and commotion going on, I immediately closed it and switched out to a solid one in the fall. That's not a bad a idea though Jim. I did clean off the bottom board of all the winter debris last time, so I'll just lift the brood box and peek onto the floor tomorrow. It's supposed to be 73*F!! woohoo
I loved the screen bottom boards for doing mite checks, but they did a number on the bees in the winter [and yes, I closed them, but it wasn't enough] , so I switched to solid bottoms. The bees are much happier and build up better, but it makes mite checks a lot harder.
I guess I could switch to screens for the summer, but that seems like a lot of extra lifting and equipment. Must be an easier way.
Quote[and yes, I closed them, but it wasn't enough]
Robin, I have made a 1/4 in. thick plywood slide that goes in the sticky wood slot. It also has a small strip of wood that goes across the end of the slide to completely close up that opening. Is that more closed than what you did?