I’m keeping a close eye on my bees…

The boogers seem to be okay…

They seem to be thriving…

I’ve added yet another tier to their hives.  They each have a three-floor walk-up now…

But I’m still worried………….(it’s in my nature)

After the recent strong earthquakes in California, I’ve seen videos of bees dying there.

 

The bees spin and circle on the ground and then die………….for no apparent reason…

Those videos are on top of the other videos I’ve been keeping track of which show a worldwide honey bee decline (Monarch Butterflies too).

Let me see if I can find a video…

*****Bees/Post-Earthquake*****

*****Possible Reasons For Worldwide Bee Decline*****

I realize this is not a cheery, funny post…….but did you know that one-third of the world’s food supply is pollinated by honey bees?

…….that’s worrisome…….

I do supplement my bees with sugar syrup…

But they do have a lot of free-range capacity for gathering a huge variety of wild (swamp) nectars…

They aren’t “commercial” bees (anymore) who are shipped around the country to pollinate commercial crops…

But I’ve lost so many hives in the past…

*****This Last Winter Was Bad For Bees Here*****

Today I will go out and remove their mite strips…….they’ve been in the hives the appropriate amount of days…….I don’t like them…….they are bad-chemical-ju-ju-stuff…….but varroa mites are a serious business too…

The active ingredient is:  N’-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)iamino]metyl]-N-methylmethanimidamide.

It just can’t be healthy…….I know it sure isn’t considered healthy in California…….phew, I’m so glad I live in Florida…

When I first brought my nucs home, there were some hive beetles in them…

There’s got to be a better way……………………..Pascal, any suggestions?

I intend to do the powdered sugar sprinkle treatment…….

.*****Dusting For Mites With Powdered Sugar*****~~~~~~wordy article, but a good read.

(like I’ve said before, I don’t buy Prada shoes…….I buy Italian, powdered-sugar-bee-hive-blowers…)

I know that sounds weird, but there is a method to my madness…….the only down-side I can see is that powdered sugar is made from high-fructose corn syrup (not super healthy in itself)…….and it may not work (so the treatment would be thoroughly futile)…

*****Let’s All Do The Waggle Dance*****

*****Oh dear, I just saw this article today*****More Honey Bee Die-Off/This Time In Russia*****

 

(~~~~~Note To Self:  Use This Post For Future Mite-Treatment Reference~~~~~)