Know your enemy!

[B+.]

I'm just curious how many beginners can correctly identify what they see. The attached photo shows a number of varroa destructor mites. How many do you see?

 

[Matt77]

6?

 

[B+.]

6?

You don't seem sure. Lets see what others say
This is only intended as a bit of fun - beginners only please

 

[mbc]

Easy
Too many

 

[Jazzygem]

I would hazard a guess at 5. 2 look suspicious.

 

[shazzer]

I think I see 8

 

[B+.]

The correct answer is 6
I staged the shot to show mites from different angles. The one at the top is wax (note the shape is teardrop shaped rather than eliptical). The light coloured shape is merely a drop of dissolved honey which marked the floor.

These are adult mites that are counted when you do a natural mite drop test. The lighter coloured mites you see once they start reproducing are protonymphs/deutonymphs which do not survive outside of the cell. These dark red reproducing females are truly the enemy.
A male would be lighter and slightly pointed at the front. He uses his two front legs when mating with his sisters in the cell then dies when the bee emerges from its cell. Males and the lighter coloured females cannot survive outside of the cell.

 

[Jazzygem]

Thanks for that B+. wasn't quite sure of the one on its side on the right.... different angle.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Using a jewellers loupe works to view unkowns

 

[B+.]

Using a jewellers loupe works to view unkowns

Its amazing how, at this time of year, the wax cappings can look like varroa. I put that piece at the top in to show how careful you have to be.
I've seen people doing it unaided, or even with a little (4*) magnification, but they must have better eye sight than I have. I use 20* microscope to be as accurate as I can be. If the floor is divided into a grid and you use a tally counter, its much easier to be accurate.

 

[B+.]

Thanks for that B+. wasn't quite sure of the one on its side on the right.... different angle.

At this time of year, you find them buried amongst all sorts of rubbish on the hive floor. At the moment, the bees are uncapping a lot of food so you get old wax cappings on the floor. As pollen starts coming in you get increasing amounts of pollen falling to the floor. This is why its important to be able to recognise a mite from unusual angles (just like finding the queen on a comb of bees).

 

[Millet]

12 if you have had a skin full ..

 

[BeeJuice]

Its amazing how, at this time of year, the wax cappings can look like varroa. I put that piece at the top in to show how careful you have to be.
I've seen people doing it unaided, or even with a little (4*) magnification, but they must have better eye sight than I have. I use 20* microscope to be as accurate as I can be. If the floor is divided into a grid and you use a tally counter, its much easier to be accurate.[/QUOTE

I've been looking for a grid/ sticky floor. What is the term I need to use for searxh? Thx

 

[REDWOOD]

And how many are dead, the clue is if you can spot the vapor trails they leave behind.

 

[Plenty of honey]

And how many are dead, the clue is if you can spot the vapor trails they leave behind.

I was going to ask if someone could post some pictures of wax capping, as rarely see them amongst the piles of dead mites.

 

[B+.]

I've been looking for a grid/ sticky floor. What is the term I need to use for searxh? Thx

Varroa monitoring tray.
Some floors have an open mesh bottom built into them and you can place an insert (thin ply or even a sheet of correx) under them to catch the hive debris. I tape a sheet of sticky back plastic (Self-adhesive covering film from WH Smiths) sticky side up to the insert so everything dropped from the hive sticks to it.

 

[BeeJuice]

Yes, that's what I have... A wooden insert - thin ply. I'll buy some sticky back. Cheers

 

[B+.]

Yes, that's what I have... A wooden insert - thin ply. I'll buy some sticky back. Cheers

Do yourself a favour and buy one of these too ([ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/RelX-Handheld-Tally-Counter-Digit/dp/B000I6R1PS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459371301&sr=8-1&keywords=tally+counter"]RelX Handheld Tally Counter 4 Digit Ref 2410: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home[/ame]). It makes mite counting so much easier

 

[BeeJuice]

In the basket and now paid for. Good suggestion. Thx

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find the numbers 'hardly any', 'a few', 'quite a few', 'a lot' and 'oh dear' can be obtained without a hand clicker