Bee Gym - Varroa Mite Control

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone has heard of the 'Bee Gym' or even used it in their hives.

If so, is it effective/does it work?

If not, what do you think? There are a few videos etc on the website. (Unfortunately you will have to do a Google search, I cant add links yet)

Thinking of trying it out myself, only £15. Doesn't seem too expensive.

I'll just refer you to PT Barnums oft repeated quote

What is this bee gym you speak of and how does it work? :s

If you type Bee Gym into the search box (top left) you will find previous threads on the subject.

Yes ... I have had one in my Long Deep Hive since the beginning of April and I've seen a noticeable pattern of varroa drop immediately under the point on the mesh floor where the Beegym is located - including a number of live varroa. I count varroa on a daily basis and when I first put the Beegym in the hive I didn't really notice much of a change but about two weeks after the installation I saw quite a marked increase in mites on my inspection board. Since then I've had one 'spike' in mite fall which occurred late May early June .. just after the colony swarmed .. when the mite drop went up to 40 a day... before returning down to where it normally sits .. less than 5 a day. This is a big colony currently covering 18 frames and have always evidenced a very low count ... indeed, a lot of the time there is no sign of varroa in this hive at all (bear in mind I also uncap drone cells, do sugar rolls and alcohol washes - I don't just rely on counting varroa on the floor).

The LDH is a bit of an experimental hive, heavily insulated and foundationless and is untreated with anything for varroa.

The bees dismantled one of the rubbing strips on the bee gym in the first month but the other one and the 'hoops' are stiil in place.

I was very sceptical about whether this device would work .. Stuart is still developing it and I'm about to take delivery of his MkII version which will go in one of my Paynes Poly Hives .... the other Paynes Poly Hive will act as a control as the colony in there is very similar and will not have a bee gym installed.

Is it effective ? ... I don't know .. it appears to concentrate some of the varroa drop immediately below the point where it is situated so there is a strong likelihood that the bees are using it to remove varroa and certainly Stuart has some videos of the bees crawling over a bee gym and they appear to be scratching themselves on it.

The MkII has slightly different tapes for the bees to scratch on and Stuart has just sent me the attached photo of the pattern of drop underneath his MkII version - you can clearly see the concentration of mites and the outline of the beegym.

So .. my point of view is that it's not introducing anything in to the hive that will harm the bees ... it's a passive device ... if it is doing some good in conjunction with my treatment free IPM regime then it's a bonus that I'm prepared to accept.

I've avoided mentioning it as I can do without any more flak in my off the wall beekeeping but ... it will be interesting to see how the MkII performs in one of my poly hives with a control hive to compare it against.

So ... any of you out there with a thick skin ? Give it a go ... Stuart is a really nice bloke and is always looking for feedback on how his beegym is performing. I have no connection with Stuart apart from a mutual interest in non-chemical treatments of varroa in bee colonies and I have no commercial interest whatsoever.

OK .. I've only just taken my tin hat off ... I'd best get it down off the peg again ...

about two weeks after the installation I saw quite a marked increase in mites on my inspection board

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How does the mite drop compare with that in a hive without one of these gizmos?

BeeJoyful said:

How does the mite drop compare with that in a hive without one of these gizmos?

Click to expand...

I don't have a direct comparison yet as my long hive us very different to the two Paynes poly hives and the colony in there is much bigger ... All three hives have very low varroa levels. But ... Once I have one in installed in one if my polys and not the other I should have a better opportunity for comparison ... Watch this space ! ..

I have discovered a special stone that if you keep it in your pocket while dribbling oxalic acid on your bees guarantees a good varroa kill.
I have a number of these stones that I'm grudgingly prepared to part with at an astonishingly low introductory price of only £14.95 (+ £10 p & p)
They work best if you imagine very hard that they do.
PM me for an order form.

mbc said:

I have discovered a special stone that if you keep it in your pocket while dribbling oxalic acid on your bees guarantees a good varroa kill.
I have a number of these stones that I'm grudgingly prepared to part with at an astonishingly low introductory price of only £14.95 (+ £10 p & p)
They work best if you imagine very hard that they do.
PM me for an order form.

Click to expand...

Now the cat is out of the bag... i thought i advised you to keep this to yourself, now they know about the special stones they will all want one...and this forum is not for commercial advertising.

Hivemaker. said:

Now the cat is out of the bag... i thought i advised you to keep this to yourself, now they know about the special stones they will all want one...and this forum is not for commercial advertising.

Click to expand...

I feel duty bound to spread the love.

I still have a few sets of Beeotards and leg warmers in stock if anyone is isinterested.
As for stones - I always find it beneficial to play with mine whilst my hands are in my pockets - don't know if it's of any benefit to the bees - but it makes me feel good

jenkinsbrynmair said:

I still have a few sets of Beeotards and leg warmers in stock if anyone is isinterested.
As for stones - I always find it beneficial to play with mine whilst my hands are in my pockets - don't know if it's of any benefit to the bees - but it makes me feel good

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Well you may laugh ... but I saw one of my girls carrying two dead wasps today ... it's working ... muscles like Arnie in his prime !

mbc said:

I have discovered a special stone that if you keep it in your pocket while dribbling oxalic acid on your bees guarantees a good varroa kill.
I have a number of these stones that I'm grudgingly prepared to part with at an astonishingly low introductory price of only £14.95 (+ £10 p & p)
They work best if you imagine very hard that they do.
PM me for an order form.

Click to expand...

Brilliant! There's more laughs on this forum than TV that's for sure.

It's not really a scientific experiment to have 2 identical hives, one with a bee gym, one without.

Itchy said:

It's not really a scientific experiment to have 2 identical hives, one with a bee gym, one without.

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Wasn't intended to be a serious study ... but if one has one and I get more of a drop than the one that hasn't then perhaps it's an indication that it works ?

pargyle said:

Wasn't intended to be a serious study ... but if one has one and I get more of a drop than the one that hasn't then perhaps it's an indication that it works ?

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or that one has a more serious infestation than the other?

Hmm, not really....one colony may be more hygienic than the other. I'd like to see much more footage of bees dislodging varroa. But you correctly point out that as an inert hive item, there's only good to be gained from it.

jenkinsbrynmair said:

or that one has a more serious infestation than the other?

Click to expand...

Yes ... as I said originally too many variables to be certain about anything - but the two polyhive colonies are very similar and it's the nearest I can get to making a comparison.

As Itchy says, the most conclusive evidence would be a clear video of bees actually using it to scrape mites off .. I have that opportunity in my long hive as there is a gap under the frames where the bee gym sits and there are a series of 1/2" ventilation holes in the frame that holds the mesh floor (seemed like a good idea at the time) - whilst they are covered with mesh on the inside at present it would not be too difficult to remove it and put a miniature camera in one of them ... however, I would need to put a light source in there as well. Perhaps something for the future ...

The mesh floor detaches from the bottom of the hive so it doesn't disturb the bees but I'm not inclined to do it this late in the season.

You can see the holes in these photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/sets/72157644091488819/

mbc said:

I have discovered a special stone that if you keep it in your pocket while dribbling oxalic acid on your bees guarantees a good varroa kill.
I have a number of these stones that I'm grudgingly prepared to part with at an astonishingly low introductory price of only £14.95 (+ £10 p & p)
They work best if you imagine very hard that they do.
PM me for an order form.

Click to expand...

Hivemaker. said:

Now the cat is out of the bag... i thought i advised you to keep this to yourself, now they know about the special stones they will all want one...and this forum is not for commercial advertising.

Click to expand...

Are they best quality welsh slate or Exmoor granite?

If it's from Cardiganshire, you can guarantee there will be no blood left in it