Mite Boards
I have 14 hives going- 13 of them set up with homemade bottom screen boards, of various designs (all good!), and I am about to make some more. I've used them a long time- I think- ten years? I don't really know. I find them instructive, and it seems like a way I get to see, and evaluate the hive's strength and relative activity.
But in regards to how well they combat mites? I don't know that there is anything at all conclusive about this- though its always listed as a basic treatment. However, I know that some studies suggest that the boards actually increase the populations, if installed without bottom boards to close them off-though my impression is that this was climate dependent- and these were Ontario studies, and also not conclusive.
In my experience, I notice a few things. One- is that it feels like they are effective, as there are lots of dead mites sometimes. Tons. But I think this is totally deceptive- and potentially, means nothing. It occurred to me one day that I wasn't seeing living mites. And if they were dead when they hit the screen and fell to the board- then the screen had nothing to do with it. They were just old and dead. And maybe they were climbing back up when they fell alive.
It used to be that I would coat the boards with vaseline to make them sticky, but I read that they died anyway, and didn't climb up back into the hive, though I recall some info about having some separation, like more than an inch. So I stopped making them sticky, which was a hassle anyway and a mess.
Then I noticed recently that although they seems to be all dead- when I started looking closer, and if I poked the mites- it seemed like 20% or so were alive. They just sat there, didn't run, so- then, I thought-maybe this IS doing good. But how do I know? Frankly- I don't- and I don't know if there are studies conclusive one way or another. However- if they don't make the hives worse- then I will keep them as they help me verify activity,
But in regards to how well they combat mites? I don't know that there is anything at all conclusive about this- though its always listed as a basic treatment. However, I know that some studies suggest that the boards actually increase the populations, if installed without bottom boards to close them off-though my impression is that this was climate dependent- and these were Ontario studies, and also not conclusive.
In my experience, I notice a few things. One- is that it feels like they are effective, as there are lots of dead mites sometimes. Tons. But I think this is totally deceptive- and potentially, means nothing. It occurred to me one day that I wasn't seeing living mites. And if they were dead when they hit the screen and fell to the board- then the screen had nothing to do with it. They were just old and dead. And maybe they were climbing back up when they fell alive.
It used to be that I would coat the boards with vaseline to make them sticky, but I read that they died anyway, and didn't climb up back into the hive, though I recall some info about having some separation, like more than an inch. So I stopped making them sticky, which was a hassle anyway and a mess.
Then I noticed recently that although they seems to be all dead- when I started looking closer, and if I poked the mites- it seemed like 20% or so were alive. They just sat there, didn't run, so- then, I thought-maybe this IS doing good. But how do I know? Frankly- I don't- and I don't know if there are studies conclusive one way or another. However- if they don't make the hives worse- then I will keep them as they help me verify activity,
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