Using Powderd sugar to rid mites??

[babyphatt455]

I read somewhere that you can use powdered sugar to get rid of mites in the hive.
How does this exactly work?
Do you place the powderd sugar on the bottom of the screened bottom board?
Has anyone tried this or heard of this?

[KONASDAD]

use the search engine on this site for more info. You shake powdered sugar through the top of brood area. One cup per deep. No need to seperate boxes. The easiest way is to make a frame for piece of screen same size as box. I used an old inner cover w/ center cut out and stapled screen on it. Open hive, place on top of brood area and put one or two cups of powedered sugar on screen and brush through screen. Take off and recover. Done. You'll see bees flying looking like ghosts for about twenty minutes or so.

[Kathyp]

it doesn't get rid of them completely, but helps to control them.  you dust it over the top of the frames.  i do it with a sifter and probably use about 1 cup per hive.  the PS cover the bees and as they groom it off, they dislodge the mites which should then fall through the screened bottom board.  some people use this method exclusively.  i use it during those times when i do not want to have other treatments on the hive.  when i am treating the hive, i use Apiguard.

[babyphatt455]

Alright, this method sounds pretty simple.
I'll give it a try in a month or two.

[Kathyp]

it needs to be done several times.  i think most do it every 10 days, 3 times.  you probably want to keep an eye on things and not wait to long.  i have found mites already although not to many.  don't let it get out of  hand or your hives will be weakened just when you want them strong.

[KONASDAD]

you need to do this about weekly as it only dislodges phoretic mites. Mites already in adult stage. As Kathy says, it dislodges them, so a screened bottom board is helpful too. This way they fall out of hive entirely and die. It utilizes hygenic bahavior of bees which will groom themselves after being doused w/ PS.

[babyphatt455]

Oh ok. Thanks for the help.
Right now I had recieved a have that does not have a bottom board (well it does but it's attached to the broad box.
So I am waiting to switch them out of that hive and into a new broad box with a screened bottom board.
Would I be able to make the switch on any sunny day or should I wait.

[KONASDAD]

If they have been flying a few days and its over 50F go for it. I try not to do a full manipulation until spring has arrived for good.

[babyphatt455]

Yeah, I didnt want to do things to early and disrupt the colony or harm them.
But I'll probably go ahead and switch them out of that soon then.