Powdered sugar dusting

[Ruary]

IBRA have published an intering paper on the results of trials of this method of varroa control.

It is public access:
go to http://www.ibra.org.uk/articles/Revisiting-powdered-sugar-for-varroa-control

which should get you to the abstract page, at the bottom of this click on 'open access' which opens the full paper

[Rosie]

It didn't work for me Ruary. Are you sure it is accessible to non-members?

[Ruary]

Yes, the document is 'open access',
try starting at www.ibra.org.uk and through the journal to the issue which is 2012 No 4 and so on.

[Ruary]

Sorry for the wrong information, I am logged in as a default and had no trouble in downloading. I have just tried downloading after logging out and could not do it.

I have contacted IBRA about this as the paper is labelled 'open access' and will report back when I hear from them.

Ruary

[gavin]

Thanks Ruary. It certainly looks as if it is intended to be open access, but isn't.

Sent from my BlackBerry 8520 using Tapatalk

[Ruary]

IBRA tell me that the problem has been rectified.

[Neils]

Looks like it's working now and it's an interesting read. Neither sounding the death knell nor exonorating it as a practice I feel.

[gavin]

One factor worth bringing out is that the effective times were broodless periods. For example, it was partially effective with a January treatment, and the effect that was still observable in October.

I'd be reluctant to use a disruptive treatment in the depths of winter. Not so sure about it either when you have a new queen settling in and the old brood hatched, or a swarm with the old queen which hasn't yet capped its first brood. These are times when queen balling and absconding are a threat.

Many proponents suggest using this as a summer treatment and there is nothing here to support the efficacy of use then, when many mites will be hiding under a nice warm capping.

G.

[Mellifera Crofter]

I'd be reluctant to use a disruptive treatment in the depths of winter.
G.
I reread the article following your post, Gavin. They mentioned blowing the sugar dust into the hive - or do you think that is still too disruptive? (If I do do that, then I think I'd rather buy bellows than try to rig up a vacuum-cleaner as a blower like they have done.)
Kitta

[madasafish]

There is a poster on the BBKA forum who swears by sugar dusting. He claims it is very effective.

But then he does it DAILY..

!

His bees must be stressed out :-)

[chris]

One factor worth bringing out is that the effective times were broodless periods. For example, it was partially effective with a January treatment, and the effect that was still observable in October.

I'd be reluctant to use a disruptive treatment in the depths of winter.

IF it is effective on the emerged bees, why not use it in conjuncion with a treatment that diminishes the mites in the capped cells, such as wintergreen (I think that's the translation of gaulthérie). This apparently masks the *signal* given by a larva when it is ready for its cell to be capped, and hence the female mite is not attracted to the cell. This could then be carried out during the spring build up, and/or after the honey harvest.

[Don Ember]

There is a poster on the BBKA forum who swears by sugar dusting. He claims it is very effective.

But then he does it DAILY..

!

His bees must be stressed out :-)

May I suggest that those interested in my approach should visit the BBKA forum and read for themselves (most recently in the Deformed Wing Virus thread, but elsewhere too), so that they can consider precisely what I do. 'DAILY' dusting is something I rarely need to do; this is necessary only in the case of heavy infestation. I should be unhappy to think that readers and posters here should be worried that my bees are stressed out.

[Neils]

Please feel free to link to the relevant discussion or quote the salient parts there if you like, might make life easier for those head scratching as to what's going on/been suggested.

[Don Ember]

Hello, again, Neil.
Here you go: http://www.bbka.org.uk/members/forum.php?t=5987

[Neils]

Thanks Don. Makes things a lot clearer at this end :).

[prakel]

Ok, so having been away for a couple of weeks again I'm coming late to this discussion.

I've never used or even considered using the powdered sugar method -just doesn't appeal to me, so I don't really know what I'm talking about (which perhaps goes for a lot of things) but there is, either on the internet or maybe in an old ABJ a throw-away quote from Sue Cobey where she mentions that in her oppinion the only time sugar dusting has any real effect (this from my memory) is when it's been warmed/heated which she goes on to say is totally impractical in most apiaries. This makes some sense to me as a non user but I've never actually come across any other references to such usage.

Anyone here have thoughts on this?

I can try to source that quote if anyone's interested but I don't believe that it was in specific context to the rest of the article.

[Neils]

What's the purpose in heating the sugar?

[prakel]

What's the purpose in heating the sugar?

I imagine that it's to make it 'sticky' which would increase the need to groom; obviously drifting away from the pure idea of sugar dusting. But I can't claim to really know!

[Ruary]

there is, either on the internet or maybe in an old ABJ a throw-away quote from Sue Cobey where she mentions that in her oppinion the only time sugar dusting has any real effect (this from my memory) is when it's been warmed/heated
I can try to source that quote if anyone's interested but I don't believe that it was in specific context to the rest of the article.

Yes please, lets have the source.

I can see that warming the sugar might tend to prevent clumping.

[prakel]

Yes please, lets have the source.

I have been looking. Can't find it on the net so will trawl through old ABJs later today.

[prakel]

Yes please, lets have the source.

American Bee Journal Vol 149 No. 6
June 2009
Survivor Stock -A Protocol for Small-Scale Beekeepers by M.E.A.McNeil.


Cobey says it is critical to monitor colony levels, use marginal controls when needed and re-queen susceptible colonies. The mites are allies in the process since the bees need the exposure to develop resistance.

Although she would like to see a more thorough protocol worked out, she offered the following suggestions:

......Use powdered sugar weekly all season. To be most effective, powdered sugar requires heating, which is not practical in the field-but it can be used in management, such as shaking bees or setting up new colonies.

As you can see from the 2009 date it's quite some time since I first read the article but it's still the only reference I can think of which mentions heating the sugar for best effect.


edit, 22/03/2013: In the interests of clarity, I've today received confirmation from Susan Cobey that she would never suggest the warming of the sugar.

The wording of the article suggests that she's said something when she hasn't.

Her actual point is that when shaking for packages etc the bees can be treated by placing them in a container with powdered sugar; the heat generated by the bees in the box can help to increase mite fall...caveat regarding ease of overheating/mortality of bees etc

[Neils]

bump to highlight Prakel's edit.

[The Drone Ranger]

I was going to post something cheeky but I can see some people actually believe this sugar stuff and I read in my horoscope the stars are not sufficiently favourable till Mars appears in Uranus

[Dark Bee]

Would those who are shareholders in any sugar refinery please identify themselves, not doing so is quite unethical. :p

[Jon]

You suggesting that the forum is rife with Tate and Lyle and Silver Spoon shills?
These guys are worse than Bayer and Syngenta.

[Black Comb]

You suggesting that the forum is rife with Tate and Lyle and Silver Spoon shills?
These guys are worse than Bayer and Syngenta.

And a lot sweeter

[Dark Bee]

:)
You suggesting that the forum is rife with Tate and Lyle and Silver Spoon shills?
These guys are worse than Bayer and Syngenta.

'tis a conspiracy I tell you, a conspiracy I tell you; Chapter but not verse, RoyalBlacks - worse than bees and Lol. :)

[Neils]

After last year and looking at how this year is panning out so far I am considering shares in British sugar.

[Jon]

The first shill/share price ramper just outed himself!

But it has got to be a glorious summer this year, surely, with no extra sugar needed.

[Dark Bee]

After last year and looking at how this year is panning out so far I am considering shares in British sugar.

It is quite well known that you already have a controlling interest in this organisation. In the interests of clarity kindly refrain from understating your involvment.

[madasafish]

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET
SUGAR FOR MY HONEY
YOUR FIRST SWEET KISS THRILLED ME SO
SWEETS FOR MY SWEET
SUGAR FOR MY HONEY
I'LL NEVER EVER LET YOU GO

http://tinyurl.com/y9hlu7r

[The Drone Ranger]

I must get me one of these :) Lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIQKrcON6tk

[Black Comb]

I think they saw him coming.