In order to make wise decisions on whether to apply a pesticide to control varroa mites, it is desirable to use a standard method of determining the size of the varroa population. One such method is to use Contech’s mite board.
- Mite boards are a large piece of cardboard lined with a 1.0 x 1.0 inch (2.5 x 2.5 cm) grid. The side with the lined grid is coated with a thin layer of sticky material.
- In use a flexible plastic screen (that comes with the board) is laid on the sticky surface, and the mite board is inserted above the bottom board of a hive. Mites can then fall through the screen onto the sticky surface, but honey bees walking on the screen will be protected from contacting the sticky material.
- After 24 hours (or any standard interval of about that duration) the mite board can be removed and the captured mites can be easily counted in each grid square.
- Over time, each beekeeper can develop an action threshold, whereby a pesticide is applied if the mite count exceeds that threshold. This also allows beekeepers to avoid applying the pesticide if the mite count falls below the action threshold.