Approximately 100 worker bees are scraped into the glass jar from a frame taken from near the middle of a hive needing to be sampled for a varroa mite infestation. A lid is quickly placed on the jar of catured bees and a short burst, about 1 second, of starting fluid is sprayed into the closed container of bees. After 1 minute the jar is gently shook and then rolled. If the bees are infested with varroa the brown mites will be seen stuck to the side of the jar. When mites are found treatment should be considered.
Care is taken to apply no chemicals just prior to, or during the honey flow.
It is applied at the rate of two strips per colony for a period of approximately 45 days, prior to honey flow. Untreated bee yards generally do not survive more than 1-2 years following a varroa infestation. There is some evidence that sugar syrup laced with an essential oil, peppermint or spearmint, gives some parasitic mite control. The syrup is formulated by mixing 10-20 drops of either oil with 1 pound of sugar and enough water to fill a quart jar. Theis mixture is given to bees for 30 days in late summer or early fall using a boardman feeder.