Kalamazoo Bee Club

Mites, Robbing, Feeding

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Saturday, August 19, is National Honeybee Day.

For non-beekeepers, it’s great there is a day to focus on this essential pollinator. For we beekeepers, it’s another day for us to focus on our favorite insect during a very critical month. Much of what happens with bees in August sets them up for overwintering success. August’s honeybees are building the bees that need to make it through winter; August’s honeybees need to be in peak physical condition.

That powder-dusted reddish spot is a mite. You younger folks would’ve been able to see its legs wiggling.

The best and most effective step toward hive health is Varroa mite control. I recently heard Dr. Zachary Huang speak about dead colonies; he estimates 90% of all hive deaths may be traced to Varroa mites. Varroa mites vector diseases that shorten bees’ lives—resulting in fewer bees to fill up the cupboards for winter, fewer bees to keep the queen warm and soften honey for consumption in January, fewer bees to nurture brood when snow is flying in February.Continue Reading

Varroa Mites: Your 2016 Action Plan

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managing varroa mites

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February in the midwest is rough. I’m a school teacher, so I’m now quite removed from Christmas break, but still far from spring break. The weather is dark, cold and (usually) snowy. By March it feels like spring is on the horizon, but February feels like a cavernous hole of cold that will never let up.  It’s especially hard on beekeepers for a few reasons: (1) by now you might be mourning the loss of a hive or two, (2) if you’re not, you’re hoping they’re still alive, (3) if they ARE still alive, there’s nothing you can really do, but just think about them.

This is why I was so excited to attend (and present at) the Kalamazoo Bee School last Saturday. It was a great chance to learn, think, and talk about bees with other local keepers. I especially love to connect with new beekeepers because their excitement and anxiety is kind of exhilarating!

I went to two sessions about varroa mites (one by Ali Leist and one by Meghan Milbrath) and decided to outline some of the new recommendations regarding varroa management. This will give you something to think and read about until you can actually get outside and check on those bees!Continue Reading