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ARS Home Pacific West Area Tucson, Arizona Carl Hayden Bee Research Center Research Varroa How to Monitor, Sample, and Treat for Varroa





- Cold Storage Overview
- Why put colonies in cold storage to overwinter?
- When to put colonies in cold storage?
- Which colonies to put into cold storage?
- Cold Storage Overwintering Tool
- Overview
- Objective 1: Climate effects on bloom and floral rewards
- Objective 2. Landscape level nutrition models
- Objective 3: Determine pollinator number, diversity and pathogen load
- Objective 4: Develop a management plan for overwintering colonies in cold storage
- Outcomes
- Varroa Overview
- Varroa mite life cycle and reproduction
- Varroosis
- How to Monitor, Sample, and Treat for Varroa
- When to Sample
- Sugar Shake
- Alcohol Wash
- Sticky Board
- Disclaimer
- Current Research: Mite Migration
- Introduction
- BEEPOP+ Model

1 - How to Monitor, Sample, and Treat for Varroa
               2 - When to Sample
                  3 - Sugar Shake
                  4 - Alcohol Wash
                  5 - Sticky Board
                  6 - Disclaimer  USDA Varroa Sugar Shake InstructionsHow to Sample for Mites **Materials needed:**Mason jar outfitted with 1⁄8 inch hardware cloth (cut to fill the ring of the lid)Bee brushMeasuring cup (1⁄2 or 1 cup)TablespoonPowdered sugarWhite / light colored tray or tubWater Place 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar into the screened jar. Leave the lid off.
Select a brood frame with plenty of bees on it. Make sure the queen is not on the frame.
Hold the measuring cup flush with the frame, and using a bee brush, gently brush thebees into the measuring cup, filling to 1⁄2 cup. Once the bees are in the cup, the cup canbe shaken back and forth to get the bees to settle for an accurate measurement. Ifnecessary, add more bees.
Quickly dump the bees into the mason jar and place the screened lid on tight.
Roll or shake the jar to evenly coat the bees with powdered sugar. Let it sit in the shadefor 1 minute. (DO NOT leave the bees in the sun or in the jar too long, as they may getsticky and/or asphyxiate).
Fill a white / light colored tub or tray with 1 inch of water. Vigorously shake the jar upsidedown until there is no more powdered sugar coming out (approximately 30 seconds to 1minute). This will cause the mites to dislodge from the bees and fall into the water. Thesugar will dissolve in the water, making the mites easier to see.
Return the sugared bees to the hive. Their sisters will clean them.
Count the number of varroa mites in the tray (reddish brown ovals).
1⁄2 cup of bees is approximately 300 bees. To calculate mites per 100 bees, divide thetotal mites found in the sample by 3.** Treatment is recommended if the sugar shake or alcohol wash results in 3 mites per 100bees Sugar shake supplies/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/1 Sugar shake supplies.png Select a brood frame with plenty of bees/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/2 Select a brood frame with plenty of bees.png Add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar to mason jar/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/3 Add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar to mason jar.png Brush approximately 1/2 cup of bees into measuring cup/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/4 Brush approx 1 and half cup of bees into measuring cup.png Shake the measuring cup back and forth to help the bees settle and visually determine whether there are enough bees/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/5 shake the measuring cup back and forth to help the bees settle and visually determine.png Pour the bees into the jar with the powdered sugar/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/6 Pour the bees into the jar with the powdered sugar.png Add the hardware cloth lid and roll the jar evenly coats the bees with sugar/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/7 Add the hardware cloth lid and roll the jar evenely coast the bees with sugar.png Bees coated with powdered sugar/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/8 Bees coated with powdered sugar.png Add 1 inch of water to a white or light colored tub/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/9 Add 1 inch of water to a white or light colored tub.png Vigorously shake the jar up and down until all the powdered sugar comes off (approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute)/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/10 vigorously shake the jar up and down until all powdered sugar come off.png Count the varroa mites in the water/ARSUserFiles/20220500/Varroa/Sugar Shake/11 Count the varroa mites in the water.png Credit: All Photos taken by Mona Chambers << Previous

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