Year Round Varroa Mite & Virus Management: Keeping Your Hive Healthy

THIS CLASS WILL BE ONLINE VIA ZOOM!

NOTE: this class will be in two parts:

Part 1: Sunday, March 7th, 7-8:30pm

Part 2: Sunday, March 14th, 7-8:30pm

Learn what to do each season to keep mite levels low and your bees thriving. It is each beekeeper's responsibility to keep their mites low, as it means lower mite & virus levels for all the surrounding hives (mites/viruses transfer easily between hives).  The instructor will demonstrate detection and preventative measures, so you will be prepared to do it in your own hive in the next couple months. We will cover the sugar roll test, organic treatment methods like drone comb frames, oxalic & formic acid treatment, and broodless periods/splitting your hive.  Taking care of mites will allow your bees to overwinter smoothly and live multiple years.

With the class being split into two parts, you will have the chance to practice the sugar roll test in between classes and get help with any problems or questions in Part 2.

Instructor: Jennifer Radtke has been keeping bees in her backyard for 15 years, and has developed the beekeeping education program at the BioFuel Oasis. After her hives died in 2010/2011 from varroa mites, she has been tracking and managing mite levels and successfully overwintering hives multiple years.