Mite Checks in the Apiary
from Chuck Cook Podcast
🐝🤔 Ever opened a hive expecting one thing and found a total mystery? This week, we're getting our hands sticky and our minds blown! Ever found an unmarked queen where a marked one should be? What do you do when you discover a hive is trying to supersede its proven, mite-resistant queen? And how do you handle mite counts that are creeping above the threshold in your "no-treat" apiary? 📍 Highlights from this week's apiary inspection: ✅ Watch a real-time Varroa mite check using the soapy water method. ✅ The shocking discovery of a hive that secretly re-queened itself! ✅ Witness the drama of finding BOTH the marked mother queen and a new virgin queen in the same hive. ✅ Hear the "cockroach in Florida" analogy for why a zero mite count isn't always the goal. ✅ Get a close-up look at hygienic behavior like uncapping and recapping brood. ✅ Follow the tough, real-world decision to "let it ride" on colonies with high mite counts. ✅ Learn why peak mite season might be the most crucial time to test your bees' genetics. 🎙️ What would YOU have done in these situations? Drop your advice in the comments below, and don't forget to follow for more real-world beekeeping adventures! #Beekeeping #VarroaMites #QueenBee #ApiaryLife #BackyardBeekeeping #SaveTheBees #BeekeepingPodcast
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