Author Topic: Powdered Sugar dusting  (Read 2715 times)

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Offline Blair Sampson

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Powdered Sugar dusting
« on: October 14, 2016, 10:27:39 am »
Planning on inspecting the hives for the last time this weekend prior to wrapping them for winter later this month or early November. Is there any harm in doing a late fall powdered sugar dusting in an attempt to knock off more mites prior to closing off the hives?

Offline Perry

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Re: Powdered Sugar dusting
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2016, 11:21:11 am »
No harm I suppose, but I'm not a big believer in sugar dusting.
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Offline Jacobs

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Re: Powdered Sugar dusting
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2016, 11:59:24 am »
Here is a link to Jennifer Berry's study of the subject.  The bottom line is that the sugar will knock some mites off the comb, but that it is not a strong enough method to keep mites from building up to devastating levels.

http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/documents/berryjanuary2013.pdf

Offline CBT

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Re: Powdered Sugar dusting
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2016, 05:09:02 pm »
If your concerned about mites do a sugar roll or alcohol test. Good practice and real results. Good luck. :)