dusting bees with icing sugar

[whoosling]

I've been advised by a friend that dusting bees with icing sugar (which is meant to encourage grooming) is an aid to the control of veroa mite. As a complete beginner I would like to know what other bee keepers think - rubbish or not?

 

[Alabamaeee]

It's supposed to help in varroa control but needs to be used as part of an overall plan.

The plan can include treatment with Apiguard or similar, Oxalic Acid, and using a Drone trap to cull the varroa, which especially like to inhabit drone brood. A lot of beeks also use Open Mesh Floors (OMF). They help to reduce the mite population as varroa that fall off a bee can often drop through the mesh and out of the hive, rather than blag a lift on the next bees that returns to the hive!

 

[Poly Hive]

There is recent research which pretty much rubbishes it as a useful technique.

I think there is a link here on the site already.

PH

 

[aberreef]

I tried sugar dusting earlier this year. It did knock a few mites off BUT the bees quickly found the sugar on the varroa floor and started to collect it. It was too much hastle to bother with again.

I've also used hiveclean this year (whilst supers are on). It certainly kills the mites but doesnt affect those that are in the brood cells. Oxalic in the winter is very effective so I'll use a combination of both methods from now on

 

[For want of a better word]

It is in the Great Book of Beekeepering Myths..... next to Cane sugar vs Beet
sugar


​

 

[itma]

Its an FAQ.

Most of the time, most of the mites are in capped cells, where grooming can do nothing.

That said, frequent dusting - every inspection - does slightly slow mite build-up.

Its at its most effective any time the hive is broodless - when all the mites are vulnerable to being groomed off.
Its much less nuisance to the bees than treatment with Oxalic or Lactic, but slightly less effective. Though sugar dusting can be repeated, soon and often.


For a large-scale beekeeper, looking for one treatment to give months of clearance, it "doesn't work". As a hobbyist routine, it helps but definitely should not be regarded as "the answer".

 

[whoosling]

I've been advised by a friend that dusting bees with icing sugar (which is meant to encourage grooming) is an aid to the control of veroa mite. As a complete beginner I would like to know what other bee keepers think - rubbish or not?

Thanks everyone, so glad to have found this site to answer my questions.

 

[RosieMc]

Well I use it. I don't know if it works or not, but it makes me feel better that I am giving them a bit of a treat after an inspection.

 

[broandy]

icing sugar is a waste of money

 

[BeeJayBee]

icing sugar is a waste of money

Not if you make cakes

 

[broandy]

yea cup cakes lol

 

[whoosling]

That sweet

 

[whoosling]

Well I use it. I don't know if it works or not, but it makes me feel better that I am giving them a bit of a treat after an inspection.

That's sweet

 

[Cie]

There is recent research which pretty much rubbishes it as a useful technique.

I'd really like to read that. Anyone have the link?