How to prevent mites in your hive

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this video, I explore the benefits of Integrated Pest Management, and show you some simple steps you can take to prevent varroa mite populations from growing out of control in your beehive.

Join me on my adventure of beekeeping, as I climb the learning curve and do my best to treat these bees right.

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Bees were acquired from Woodland Bee Co. These are Italian bees. They came with the pollen patty included.

All bee gear I used:

#honeybeefarming #beekeeping #bees #hive #backyardbeekeeping #hiveinspection #beehive #varroa #integratedpestmanagement

[aaronparis]

You do your thing bro don’t let anyone put ya down anyone with a brain understands what your doing 👍🏾half of the people talking are just people with no life

[jacksparrowismydaddy]

won't the cold kill the drones too though?

[Beehivesto]

No boy bees means no mated queens. Great idea 💡

[kurtlanford]

Great job! Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge !

[briancostello]

Never Heard of a Green Frame Before.
Thanks 🙏

[benjamindejonge]

I follow you idea with some scepticism, yes we need the drones for some obvious reasons but could it be fantastic to temporarily isolate them for varroa treatment before releasing into the colony

[richardhaen]

Very good video, one question where did u get the green frame for drones ?

[tarotfawcett]

I use clove oil and origano oil wipe the floor using clve and oriano sparingly and wipe over the top bars i got rid of the mites in mi hive and best of it is you can use this any time of year ❤ aw and organic coconut water in the water feeders gives them a wonderful boost xx

[stephenjung]

I’m using powered sugar dusting of the frames once a year and planting oregano and mint around my hives.

[EverythingOrNothingXD]

Is it good idea to freeze the green frames from the start ?
What if you have zero mini bugs the thing it will be wasted drones to freeze

[aaronparis]

We’re are you from ? Do you get cold weather I’m in Canada 😅

[lauraservey]

I have read that if you put sticky paper on the bottom below the screen, you can keep better track of mite numbers. It might help with proving your theory on prevention. I believe in prevention, but nay sayers will want hard numbers. Good job!

[BellahWorks]

Would this technique if not preformed correctly or timely enough cause the opportunity to have a larger mite infestation?

[janschmidt]

Why don't you use an empty frame instead of the green plastic? Bees will fill it up with drone brood. Also if it stays empty it is a good indicator for the end of swarm season.

[karinjohnson]

You have almost no bees in that hive. When you have a robust hive, the bees can do a great job of controlling mites and SHBs.

[Yamsauce]

To my understanding, drone frames aren't an effective mechanical/ cultural control for V. destructor. They are, however, a good montioring method for those whose scale or system can not accommodate bottom boards or sugar/alcohol rolls.

My only concern is how this method is observation heavy. How do you determine your drone frame is ready to freeze? It seems risky to remove it at an annual time to free. The issue Im imagining being missing a check and drones emerging with more mites than a typical worker brood cell. Therefore, exposing your hive to greater harm.

Also, this is a technique for hobbyists, I would say. As sideliner or commercial yards, it becomes inefficient.

[LaFontaineHoneyBees]

Yes, but this is not secret anymore but you know what the secret is now is queen isolation brood brake !!

[heartsparkdollar]

Do you change these out every 3 weeks with a new one?
How does this affect the workers that are expending energy and resources to produce drone comb, uselessly?
These are not negative questions. I am not a beekeeper, but I find this to be a fascinating pastime. My neighbor keeps bees, and I worry everytime I look at his hive and think of varroa mites and moths.
I grew up getting stung by bees in my yard, but the last 20 years have rarely seen bees until my neighbor started. I have had to catch a couple in my house to let them out, and see them often in my yard. Makes me happy.

[rhondasavva]

These green frames are a hit and miss in my opinion. I used them once and the girls never built them up with wax properly even after I wax coated them all. I now use ideal frames instead they will build drone brood cells in it

[jeffsaint]

Hopgard too, it also kills hive beetles, AND can be used with honey supers on...