When the varroa are sitting on the backs of the bees, they are looking to transfer to another bee because the feeding stations on the bee they are on are occupied. Varroa feed on the underside of the bee, slipping under one of the abdominal segments close to the thorax. Dr Samuel Ramsey has several varroa videos that are worth watching.
You won't, so get in to confirm what is necessary: health of brood (esp. advanced open).
Never heard of that for varroa - but sounds the same as sprinkling icing sugar over the bees to control varroa.
A very good point. Once the swarm arrived I left them alone for about ten days or so. Then I had a quick look inside. Foundation was being drawn quite quickly. I slipped out a frame and saw both eggs and small grubs. There was a good pattern of laying so I looked no further and closed them up again. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, they seemed a little light on stores so I took an almost full super from the other hive and placed it upstairs for them.
Does this accelerate the drawing of foundation for more brood?
The fine powder is abrasive and is also hygroscopic. The Red Spider Mite only infest chickens at night while roosting on the perches. During the day they hide in cracks and crevices. A liberal dusting of DE along the perches, in cracks and on the surrounding woodwork prevents some mite from reaching the chickens and kills those that attempt to cross it.
Thank you. I have saved that for reading this evening.
That was my line of thinking - If I could see them then there would be very significant numbers.
Can't recall seeing anything about using DE to control varroa - to be honest, I don't use it on my chickens either!!
I recall something about it being carcinogenic as well.
I doubt this, my understanding is that it is pretty harmless to larger animal - indeed it is available in food grade!
Quite a few studies out there which say continued exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer.
You are correct.
Yes. It has been used in toothpaste.
That is a very valid point and was my concern also. The powder is too fine to hurt chickens but if it can damage and kill Red Spider Mite, bees could also be affected. I seem to remember the suggestion for DE to be sprinkled on the bottom board and below the varroa mesh. It was suggested that the fallen varroa would be killed once on the board. I'm racking what's left of my brains to remember where I read this!!!!!
Incidentally redmite (Dermanyssus gallinae) is a different species to red spider mite, which is a pest for gardeners & attacks plants.
Certainly inhalation could be harmful. I was thinking of ingesting in food.
they'll climb back up - that's why the inspection boards should only be put in when you are conducting a mite count (but it's a pretty useless method of monitoring mite loads in the first place) to be honest, a mesh floor, even when left open has very little impact on the mite population
I wonder if a thin layer of DE across the board would have an impact on the Varroa? What are your thoughts?
It is in some toothpastes - as is pumice stone powder.
You can make the board sticky with eg a smear of vaseline, but as above, the effect on the numbers of mites in the hive will be negligible.
