Varroa - am I counting varroa or something else? Photos attached.

[ksjs]

Apologies for what might sound like a stupid question but 2 things have struck me recently whilst counting varroa (after having not treated with oxalic):

1. Depending on what size you go down to I think you can end up with a very high count - there's a lot of small brown things that appear as if they might be varroa; and

2. I have a lot of what look / move like spiders but I guess they could be young varroa.

Anyway, to try and clarify what I am actually looking at / counting I thought I'd ask on here.

I've attached some photos to show what I'm talking about. There are 2 photos that show what I recognise as 'proper' varroa alongside the small brown creatures that could be young varroa or something like a spider. There's also a close-up of the thing I'm not sure about but the image gets blurred if you zoom-in.

Suggestions for whether the small things are varroa much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[VEG]

Yep they are varroa

 

[ksjs]

Yep they are varroa

Even the small rubbish looking ones?

 

[BBG]

Get a magnifying glass on them but, we reckon some are just those little spiders that walk about.

Magnifying glass best bet.

 

[exmoorbee]

I would say your top photo has 1 varroa in it and the middle photo 3 varroa. but I'm only a newbee, do others agree? the rubbish ones look like lumps of wax or pollen... could be wrong.

 

[exmoorbee]

BBG's spiders makes more sense

 

[Skyhook]

Pollen mites? I don't think they're young varroa, the youngest I ever see are pale and about 2/3 size.

 

[mbc]

Even the small rubbish looking ones?

They arent varroa to my eyes, in fact, they look more like the pictures of tropililaps I've seen on the NBU website, if so they'd be the first found in Britain and the **** would really hit the fan !
May I suggest getting in touch with the RBI for Wales, Frank Gellatly -01558 650588- just in case.

 

[mbc]

tried to post a linky of varroa and tropililaps side by side but my pwter skills failed. google tropililaps and images and you get the picture

 

[itma]

Not for the urgency of this, but a good thing to have is a plastic microscope/magnifier.

My identical one came from Lidl, but this is cheaper ... (and you can pay £30 for them...)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Illuminat...Magnifying-Loupe-Lens-LED-Light-/220882322652

/and your first Varroa, filling the view, is scary!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Could the other bugs be Braula? http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/braula.html

 

[mbc]

Could the other bugs be Braula? http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/braula.html

Braula are about the same size as varroa

 

[Finno]

First picture shows one varroa, while second shows three varroa. Litter from hive consisting of cappings, pollen etc. is always full of various mites and creepy crawlies taking advantage of the feast.

 

[susbees]

varroa, braula, tropilaelaps

Tray scavenger sp would be my answer.

 

[ksjs]

varroa, braula, tropilaelaps

Tray scavenger sp would be my answer.

Thanks all for replies. Based on these, photos I've looked at and my understanding of varroa, these are definitely not varroa. Just too different - they emphatically do not have the crab-like shell of the varroa and they have definite body parts i.e. thorax and abdomen.

By the way, I'm 99.99% sure these aren't Tropilaelaps either as these share the same form as varroa from what I can see in photos.

On the upside, this means all my varroa counts are lower than thought: 3 in 7 days.