VARROA MITE Experimental PROTOTYPE Powdered Sugar Beehive Duster for Honeybees Bee Hives,UGA

[poohbear1647]

Try this- 1.Use a larger diameter hose, this will give you less pressure and more volume of air. 2. make a larger, flatter and more directional nosel/ end of the hose. Make it so that the air blows up into the hive instead of accros. A simple bee frame with the perimeter raised 2" to direct the flow up would be much better (almost like when weather hits a mountain range, the air goes up into the sky- direct the flow up into the nest more evenly with less pressure and more volume. Good luck.

[audayhussain2]

but you may harm the bees by this method?

[audayhussain2]

what is that powder?is it sugar?and how can sugar kills varowa?

[johnpluta]

It's Powdered Sugar and it's not killing the Varroa.

It makes them lose their grip on the Bees backs and they fall off and down through

the screened bottom board out of the beehive.

[StarWomb]

i like that even if you don't use a certain technique you still show the options :)

[nospam3001]

They aren't "medicating". They are just dusting the bees with sugar.

The varroa mite is an alien species. I don't think we can wait a million years for evolution to teach the Italian honey bees to preen each other's backs.

[green2lean]

@nospam3001, thank you for pointing that out. You have a point that they are using sugar, however my comments still applied in general terms. John, and most commercial beekeepers, do medicate. I've seen several other videos by John Pluta and my comment just happened to end up on this video. It was something I wanted to say in general terms.

[green2lean]

@nospam3001, sugar is refined. It's not a natural substance. Can it provide energy and calories, etc.? Sure. Can bees survive off it? It seems so. Man altered foods are not good for animal or man. It may not always cause disease or sickness but it's not healthy. Anyway, this debate is silly but you don't have to be an ass.

[green2lean]

I understand as a commercial beekeeper working for profit why you'd medicate your bees, but the only real solution to bee diseases is to not do any medicating and let genetics take over.  When you medicate, you're creating weaker, more susceptible strains of bees not to mention the diseases and parasites will genetically strengthen over time due to evolution (survival of the fittest).

I do enjoy your videos though so please keep them coming.

[GeorgiaWineMaker]

@green2lean When was Sugar considered a medication?

[green2lean]

@GeorgiaWineMaker, that's a good point. The descriptions mentions terramycin and "other varroa mite treatments." I personally believe sugar is toxic even to humans, but I use sugar water because I don't know a better alternative yet. What I'm saying is I agree with you that sugar is not medication. My comment was intended to be a general comment because I know John and other commercial beekeepers do medicate.

[Nubster12]

@green2lean If sugar is so bad then why did a USDA study show that bees fed 100% sucrose lived longer then bees fed 100% honey? This is not a dig at you but serious question. I am new to all this so I am still learning and I like to hear points of view from many other people.

[green2lean]

@Nubster12, I would have to know all the details of how the study was done, where the honey came from, how it was processed, was pesticide, spores, etc. in it from another hive - as is almost always the case - or was it honey the bees produced themselves. I trust the USDA about as far as I can kick them. They are slightly more trustworthy and reliable than the FDA.

If you don't realize sugar is bad for humans it's not even worth discussing.

[Nubster12]

@green2lean Well I don't think the specifics were talked about but it might be something that could be found out. It was a controlled experiment so take it for what it's worth.

As far as sugar being bad for humans...well no shit...but we're not talking about humans here ....are we.

[nospam3001]

Might help even more if the government would just repeal the tariff on sugar.