Bee mites

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frenchbees

New Bee
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
53
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0
Location
Normandy, France
Hive Type
Dadant
Number of Hives
3
Have just removed a sheet of white card I placed under the ventilated floor of my hive for 24 hours. At first I thought there were no mites as I was looking for reddish coloured beasties but then noticed a fair number of pale brownish mites moving about at some speed.
My research suggests these are tropilaelaps mites as varroa are slow moving?
I should think there were at least 30, obviously not good whatever they are.
I was planning to treat for varroa, I suppose the same treatment and in view of the cold weather and high number of mites this had better be Apivar?
Just how bad does this sound?
I had a visit from the bee inspector 6 days ago and he gave me a clean bill of health!
 
We don't thus far have tropilaelaps in the UK, however there are numerous little beasties protected from the bees attentions by the varroa floor. Pollen mites are a little supercharged :D

John Wilkinson
 
I remember having a similar panic last year, apprently as somone else mentioned they are just clean up bugs! so dont panic - wouldnt hurt to get someone local and into bees to have a look though. Where abouts are you?? we are over in two months!!;)
 
Thanks for the info. I was hoping to find there were some less lethal mites out there but all my searches came up with were the domesday type.
I will trust the inspector was right when he said I was ok.
 

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