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y� "fir <br /> 40014, f°464140,4 <br /> -. "r Cr h t h <br /> „f- �'R ri +civ ., \ \�6q�� A� <br /> . , ' s ��' Figure 40.A colony with a mesh <br /> v R robbing screen in front of the bottom <br /> • entrance(photo by Judy Gresedieck <br /> )• <br /> • <br /> ti. <br /> • <br /> e �r ' �+� ”. war..��4, <br /> Varroa Management <br /> TREAT or manage for VARROA MITES following the guidelines in the Honey Bee Diseases and Pests manual. <br /> We cannot overemphasize how important controlling mites is for overwintering survival. <br /> High varroa mite loads frequently lead to colony death in the fall and winter. Sample and manage each colony <br /> for varroa mites as explained in the Honey Bee Diseases and Pests manual. In particular, monitoring and <br /> Imanaging mites in August and September is critical to colony health. If you detect that mite levels are above <br /> the recommended threshold after monitoring, taking swift action is crucial to ensure the survival of your colony <br /> into fall and over winter. <br /> See the latest version of the Honey Bee Diseases and Pests manual Z.umn.edu/BeeManual and our web site <br /> Z.umn.eduNarroa for the most current information and resources for managing mites. <br /> Preventing the Spread of Mites and Diseases <br /> The health of your colony can affect the health of other colonies in the area. <br /> =7L Bees can move. Bees from a strong colony can fly to weak colonies and can <br /> rob honey. Bees from a sick colony can abscond and/or interact with bees from <br /> a healthy colony. It is still extremely important to manage your colonies for <br /> Biology varroa mites. Few things are more frustrating in beekeeping than monitoring for <br /> J varroa mites all year, then seeing a huge mite population spike in September, <br /> Box especially if the colony was treated for the mites in the spring. It is frustrating <br /> because the high mite levels means that your colony has a lower chance of surviving winter, even <br /> when you were careful and took the correct management steps. To prevent the spread of mites, treat <br /> colonies with high mite levels. <br /> Varroa mites are one of the most serious problems that you will run into in beekeeping, but there are <br /> other disease issues that can spread among colonies, too. If you find a diseased colony, sterilize your <br /> hive tool by sticking it in a hot smoker for a few minutes, then (using heat-resistant gloves) flip it to <br /> sterilize the other side. Wipe down all equipment and gloves used to look at the colony with sanitizing <br /> wipes. To avoid transmitting diseases, don't move frames from a sick colony into a healthy colony. <br /> Get help from an expert or mentor. <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 49 <br />