Mite Checks in the Apiary

13/10/2025 44 min Temporada 2025
Mite Checks in the Apiary

Listen "Mite Checks in the Apiary"

Episode Synopsis

🐝🤔 Ever opened a hive expecting one thing and found a total mystery? This week, we're getting our hands sticky and our minds blown!Ever found an unmarked queen where a marked one should be? What do you do when you discover a hive is trying to supersede its proven, mite-resistant queen? And how do you handle mite counts that are creeping above the threshold in your "no-treat" apiary?📍 Highlights from this week's apiary inspection:✅ Watch a real-time Varroa mite check using the soapy water method.✅ The shocking discovery of a hive that secretly re-queened itself!✅ Witness the drama of finding BOTH the marked mother queen and a new virgin queen in the same hive.✅ Hear the "cockroach in Florida" analogy for why a zero mite count isn't always the goal.✅ Get a close-up look at hygienic behavior like uncapping and recapping brood.✅ Follow the tough, real-world decision to "let it ride" on colonies with high mite counts.✅ Learn why peak mite season might be the most crucial time to test your bees' genetics.🎙️ What would YOU have done in these situations? Drop your advice in the comments below, and don't forget to follow for more real-world beekeeping adventures!#Beekeeping #VarroaMites #QueenBee #ApiaryLife #BackyardBeekeeping #SaveTheBees #BeekeepingPodcast