Blue Sky Bee Supply Blog

WHAT IS OXALIC ACID?Oxalic Acid is a naturally occurring acid found in plants. It became popular in Europe & Canada for treating Varroa Mites in a honey bee hive. IS IT A LEGAL VARROA TREATMENT IN THE UNITES STATES?Oxalic Acid has been approved by the EPA to treat honey bee colonies in the United States. It can not be shipped to California at this time.Versions of Oxalic Acid can be found in hardware stores but those have various additives mixed with them that can cause issue with the bees. …

The black bump on this honey bee’s back is a varroa mite. Mites weaken bees’ immune systems, transmit viruses, and siphon off nutrients. Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service. By: Scott Weybright – College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences PULLMAN, Wash. – Saving honey bees is easier when varroa mite infestation is reduced. WSU researchers are hoping mid-season hibernation can help in the fight against the mighty mites.Varroa mites are pests t …

German scientists primarily based out of the University of Hohenheim have stumbled upon a simple solution that could deal a blow to honeybees' greatest threat. They've found that a tiny dose of the compound lithium chloride kills Varroa destructor mites without harming bees.The scientists detailed their incredible findings in the January 12th publication of Scientific Reports.Agricultural Research Service Varroa mite, is a scourge of honeybees across the globe. Upon infiltrating a colony, the m …

A joint collaboration between the Bee Informed Partnership, the USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory and USDA-APHIS has been established in the short term to primarily provide for free diagnostics of honey bee brood for American foul brood disease and other brood diseases. We will also offer other pest and disease diagnostics for a nominal fee. Please see https://beeinformed.org/diagnostics/ for additional information.Thank you for your patience. We realize the challenges and are very happy …

Somehow the Varroa mite has made its way from Asia to beehives in all parts of the world, with the exception of Hawaii. Varroa has been in the United States since the late 1980s (maybe longer) and has created quite a problem for beekeepers. Resembling a small tick, this mite is about the size of a pinhead and is visible to the naked eye. Like a tick, the adult female mite attaches herself to a bee and feeds on its blood.Within the cells Varroa mites feed on the developing bees and lay eggs. They …