How to Collect a Sample of Honeybees for Diagnosis of Acarine or Nosema #Beekeeping Basics

How to Collect a Sample of Honeybees for Diagnosis of Acarine or Nosema #Beekeeping Basics

Knowing how to collect a sample of honeybees for the diagnosis of Acarine mites or Nosema is an important beekeeping basic skill that all beekeepers should learn. Collecting a sample of honeybees as part of an Integrated Pest Management programme will help you maintain and strong and healthy apiary.

In this video I show you how I collect 30 honeybees as a sample for Acarine and Nosema testing which will follow in a later video. The method I use is straightforward and can be followed by any beekeeper. In this video I use a small ziploc freezer bag and Ethyl Acetate which is soaked into a piece of kitchen towel. I then collect the bees from the crownboard or entrance of the beehive and put them into the freezer bag. They are killed almost instantly and this I find is possibly the most humane way of dispatching them. Once collected I take them back home and place them in the freezer until required.

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Or Try The Best Selling Beekeeping Book Ever!
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[emmakajiyama]

Hi, your videos are really helpful, thank you! I'm a student doing a dissertation on urban honeybees - I was wondering about the storage method. How long do you think the bees will be ok for in the freezer? I'm currently collecting samples around Greater Manchester (June) and hoping to start analysis at the beginning of August. Thanks in advance!