Hypoaspis Miles trial, ideas please

[RHBee]

I have purchased the soil dwelling predatory mite, Hypoaspis Miles. I plan to introduce these to my hives in an attempt to control Varroa. I'm no scientists. What I need are some ideas concerning what kind of feedback or information you all would like for me to collect and share. I'm quite sure that something like "they work great" wouldn't be enough. I do work a full time job so constant data collection will be impossible.
I plan to introduce about 1/2 cup to each of my 16 hives and observe how they fare. I will not allow my colonies perish if I see that the treatment is ineffective.
The cost of 2ltr of these creatures is $78.02 delivered so the per hive cost is less than $5.

[GSF]

How do you keep the unused mites alive?

Maybe keep a log on when you applied them, temp, time of year, flow, dearth, build up, ect. Make notes of the number of days between treatments and how quick VM builds back up or if they do.

[RHBee]

How do you keep the unused mites alive?

Maybe keep a log on when you applied them, temp, time of year, flow, dearth, build up, ect. Make notes of the number of days between treatments and how quick VM builds back up or if they do.

Gary, the entire 2ltr will be applied. According to the supplier the mites can survive in the original container for 2 weeks before they start to decline. I only plan to do one application because they are supposed to reproduce in the hive. Their population will be dependent on prey.

[Moots]

RH,
I'm no scientist either, but wouldn't it be a good idea to have a control group to compare it to?  If you have 16 hives, I'd treat 8 and have the other 8 untreated for comparison purposes.

[10framer]

i'm still concerned about what they eat once the mites are gone.  keep us posted.

[RHBee]

RH,
I'm no scientist either, but wouldn't it be a good idea to have a control group to compare it to?  If you have 16 hives, I'd treat 8 and have the other 8 untreated for comparison purposes.

Jeff,
I thought about that but, I'm unwilling to leave any of my colonies untreated. I know from my limited experience that mid to late summer is when I see evidence of heavy Varroa infestation. I ordered enough to give all of them one spring treatment. My plan was to monitor the hives and treat with OA vapor if I see that the HM is not working.

i'm still concerned about what they eat once the mites are gone.  keep us posted.

Rob,
I guess I'm going to find out. I hope that their preditory instinct is triggered by movement. So eggs and honeybee larvae don't come under attack. I'm not going to fill my oil pans either just to give them free reign to control SHB.

[jayj200]

do you have any trees srubs or compost that could use a dose if there is any left over.

one might start a colony on the ground too.

in south florida it never freezes so we have bugs grpwing all the time

[Michael Bush]

As long as you treat you keep other mites from living there and prevent the natural progression of things like you are trying to cause.  There are 170 mites that live with bees:
http://www.landesmuseum.at/biophp/arti_det.php?litnr=10335&artinr=13954

The problem with soil dwelling mites is they need soil to live in.  That would mean having the bottom of the hive be soil.  The main problem I can see with that is moisture coming up from the ground, which might be good certain times of the year, but in winter it's a problem as it also is in summer when they are trying to dry the honey.  But if that is the experiment you want to try, I would try to have an earth floor in the hive.  This could be accomplished a few different ways.  One would be something made of concrete (or laid out of bricks) that the bottom box sets on so the box won't rot and the floor will be dirt.  You often find detritus in the bottom of a tree colony that is full of life including mites, debris beetles, wax moths, ants, roaches etc.

[RHBee]

As long as you treat you keep other mites from living there and prevent the natural progression of things like you are trying to cause.  There are 170 mites that live with bees:
http://www.landesmuseum.at/biophp/arti_det.php?litnr=10335&artinr=13954

The problem with soil dwelling mites is they need soil to live in.  That would mean having the bottom of the hive be soil.  The main problem I can see with that is moisture coming up from the ground, which might be good certain times of the year, but in winter it's a problem as it also is in summer when they are trying to dry the honey.  But if that is the experiment you want to try, I would try to have an earth floor in the hive.  This could be accomplished a few different ways.  One would be something made of concrete (or laid out of bricks) that the bottom box sets on so the box won't rot and the floor will be dirt.  You often find detritus in the bottom of a tree colony that is full of life including mites, debris beetles, wax moths, ants, roaches etc.

Thanks for joining in Michael,  I could put a layer of peat moss in my oil pans and occasionally moisten lightly with a hand sprayer. This would replicate the media that the supplier ships the HM with. Could this possibly replicate the conditions you are describing? I'll continue to communicate with my supplier concerning breeding habitat.

[Michael Bush]

>This would replicate the media that the supplier ships the HM with. Could this possibly replicate the conditions you are describing? I'll continue to communicate with my supplier concerning breeding habitat.

I don't know what they need, but if you can simulate that it might allow them to reproduce and maintain a constant population.

[10framer]

michael, what are your thoughts on this.  you're treatment free, does introducing these disrupt the process of making more resistant bees?  if it works would you do it?  i'm trying to remain pesticide free but i disrupt brood cycles a couple of times a season and i have used terramycin (trying to quit, though), so i can't say i'm treatment free.  if this was proven to work with no problems down the road i'd probably do it.

[greenbtree]

If you could, mite counts before, and as you go along would be great.  You couldn't use the sticky board method, but a sugar roll mite count could work.  Just note hive number, mite count, and date.  I have to admit I am dubious of the long term effect of the mites as most prey species numbers are much more determined by food availability than by predator pressure, but keep us updated, and good luck.

JC

[jayj200]

well if you are going to do this. Please take note of all the surrounding 100 ft.
whats growing in previous years (best recollection)
whats growing now?
what bugs in years past (best recollection) near the hives
is this changing
what bugs now?

in other words do Macrosim not just the hive.
that would be cool
that would be convincing
that would be intersting for many
jay

[bee crazy]

wow, keep up this work;

[jayj200]

Ray
let us not over burden you with our requests.

these are lofty ideas. However this is your gig.

keep it manageable and pleasant for you.

jay

[RHBee]

First, I would like to thank everyone who took their time to reply your input was appreciated.

Secondly, I want to outline the method I plan to use to apply the HM.
I'm going to only apply these mites to my 8 strongest colonies. I will spread 1 cup of material directly on top of the brood chamber frames. All my colonies are sitting on bottom board oil pans but these will be kept dry. In an attempt to create a sustainable habitat for mite breeding 4 of these pans will have a layer of spangum peat moss mixed with top soil added. The other 4 will simply be kept dry. I will make 3 applications of mites through out the year. One now another after the flow and the final mid fall. This protocol is following suggestions given to by Stacy Hickman, she is the entomologist featured in the video that started me thinking about giving this a try. She has been gracious enough to answer my emails and provide directions. I purchased my mites from Evergreen Growers located in Oregon a fellow named John Maurer. Their responses to my emails have been prompt and shipment of the product timely.
My other colonies will get my standard care. Oil pans for SHB and timely OA vapor for Varroa. I don't bother to do mite counts. I follow the belief that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Where bees are varroa and hive beetles are also.

[jayj200]

My hat is off to you for trying.

so everyone knows.

I have no affiliation with any one pushing HM.

just thought it was very cool. bio control non chemical
jay