Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: vinayyn
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 683 views
  • Likes 6 likes
  • Comments 5 comments
Related
Recommended

Passive method to detect external parasites such as Varroa mites

vinayyn

Sugar shaking

Sugar shaking of honey bees is a passive method to detect external parasites such as Varroa mites, Tropilaelaps mites, and Braula fly. It is a quick and easy method that does not kill the honey bees sampled. The method works by the fine sugar particles dislodging external parasites by stopping their sticky pads (feet) from gripping onto honey bees and also by stimulating the grooming behavior of honey bees. The sugar is then separated from the bees and inspected for external parasites. The efficiency of this surveillance method increases the warmer the atmospheric temperature.

Honey bees coated in icing sugar are returned to the hive entrance after sugar shaking. Image courtesy of Randy Oliver, www.scientificbeekeeping.com.au

Honey bees coated in icing sugar are returned to the hive entrance after sugar shaking. Image courtesy of Randy Oliver, www.scientificbeekeeping.com

there are several methods are there to remove external parasites, these seem to be life-threatening for bee life, most common of those is alcohol washing. sugar shaking method is not as effective as the alcohol wash method to remove external parasites but it's not life-threatening for bee life.

In the current project, I am using the sugar shaking method to remove external parasites by automating using Arduino MKR WAN 1310. this system detects the bee's entry inside the hive and sprinkles the icing sugar and creates the vibration to remove the parasites. in the below video, you can find the icing sugar sprinkling mechanism only.

imageimage

Testing Video

Parents

  • Interesting technique, I had not heard of it before.  I'll need to ask about it in my beekeeping class.

    Since I live in an area with a chronic ant problem, I would worry about deploying sugar like that.  Do you know if that sugar gets into the hive and if it needs to be cleaned out?

    I'm sure there would be a lot of sugar ants Worried...

Comment

  • Interesting technique, I had not heard of it before.  I'll need to ask about it in my beekeeping class.

    Since I live in an area with a chronic ant problem, I would worry about deploying sugar like that.  Do you know if that sugar gets into the hive and if it needs to be cleaned out?

    I'm sure there would be a lot of sugar ants Worried...

Children