# Low mite count! Woo Hoo!



## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

I have been putting 5cc of peppermint oil into each gallon of sugar syrup as a maintenace dose for mite control.

Today I checked our hive's mite count. After two full days with the oiled board under the screen bottom we counted 5 mites.

I am so happy!


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Have you been having a dry summer? I'm surprised that you'd be feeding this time of year. Even with Maine having a shorter summer than I have here in Indiana, I thought you'd have some kind of late summer/fall flow.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Previous colonies of mine have had high mite loads and after treatment have not survived the following winter.

Since nuc orders have to be made in the late fall, a dead colony in April means a 1 year delay before you can try the process again. So I decided that with this colony I would make feed available next to the hive, with an organic maintenance dose of peppermint oil. And see if I can get the colony to survive through the winter.

This will be my third attempt.

May, June and July were exceptionally dry. The past three weeks on the other hand have been very wet. T-showers and heavy down-pours every night and at least once each day; for the past three weeks.


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

I dont think a natural mite drop of 5 over 2 days is a real good omen i think
you should try some powdered sugar dusting or ether rolls to get a better
idea of mite levels.

just my opinion


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

damoc said:


> I dont think a natural mite drop of 5 over 2 days is a real good omen i think
> you should try some powdered sugar dusting or ether rolls to get a better
> idea of mite levels.
> 
> just my opinion


2.5 mites per day is too high?

A mineral oil covered board underneath is not an accurate method of monitoring mite levels, using powdered sugar is a more accurate method of monitoring mite levels?


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

damoc said:


> I dont think a natural mite drop of 5 over 2 days is a real good omen i think you should try some powdered sugar dusting or ether rolls to get a better
> idea of mite levels.
> 
> just my opinion


Gotta disagree - politely, of course. Using sticky boards to count mites is widespread, even among those doing research at the universities. Our State Apiarist here in Indiana recommends treating if the mite count (using a sticky board) get up around 50-to-60 in a 24-hour period. If ET1-SS has just 2.5, I think his bees are in good shape.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Does anyone have information on how to use 'powdered sugar dusting' for monitoring their mite load?

I am familiar with the idea of feeding 'powdered sugar' to the bees by dusting, but that does not tell you how bad the mites are [unless I am mistaken].

anyone else?


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

ET1 SS said:


> Does anyone have information on how to use 'powdered sugar dusting' for monitoring their mite load?


A "sugar shake" is similar to an "ether roll" except that the bees live thru it!

Our fellow beekeeper, Iddee, has posted this on another forum:
_A sugar shake is to count bees. It is different than a sugar treatment. A sugar shake is approx. 300 bees caught in a jar with a 1/8 inch screen for a lid, from the broodnest, and about 2 tablespoons powdered sugar added. After shaking up a few times over a 10 minute period, shake out the sugar and release the bees back into the hive. Count the mites shaken out with the sugar. Less than a dozen mites, you're good. 12 to 30, treat. Many more than 30, say goodbye to your hive._


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

indypartridge said:


> Gotta disagree - politely, of course. Using sticky boards to count mites is widespread, even among those doing research at the universities. Our State Apiarist here in Indiana recommends treating if the mite count (using a sticky board) get up around 50-to-60 in a 24-hour period. If ET1-SS has just 2.5, I think his bees are in good shape.


im pretty sure if you get to anywhere near these levels your hive is a gonner
(50 to 60 in 24 hour peiod)

at 2.5 yes the mites are below a level at which they are going to cause to much harm in the near future but we are heading into fall and fall seems to be the period at which mite populations explode.

i have had similar natural mite drops and sugar dusted only to get counts
in the hundreds i dont know why? just saying do some other testing whats it
going to hurt and keep us posted.

i dont know if i have posted this before but hope it helps
http://www.damoc.com/beekeeper/sugar dusting/sugar dusting.html


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

damoc said:


> im pretty sure if you get to anywhere near these levels your hive is a gonner
> (50 to 60 in 24 hour peiod)


I've been using this threshold (50 to 60) for a few years now and it seems effective. My colonies have overwintered well. I did a google search of mite thresholds and 24-hr thresholds of 40 to 60 seem fairly common for this part of the country (midwest). I saw that in some southern states with mild winters the threshold was as high as 100 in a 24-hr period (Georgia). 

One thing for sure: so much of beekeeping is "local" and there are so many variables involved, that it's difficult to make any kind of absolute statements.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

:shrug:"One thing for sure: so much of beekeeping is "local" and there are so many variables involved, that it's difficult to make any kind of absolute statements."

This is why so many of us want you tp post your location at least the state when asking a question. Michigan is no where near Florida weather wise summer or winter.

 Al


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

I am with damoc....50-60 is far too high.

I do a sugar dusting and a 1 hr sticky board count..... Anything higher than a dozen in not a good thing.


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