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Varroa mites are one of the greatest threats to honey bee health, honey production, and pollination services. The Honey Bee Health Coalition has been proud to equip beekeepers with the information, tools, and resources they need to detect, monitor, and manage these destructive mites.
We are proud now to share information about the first ever Mite-A-Thon, supported by the Pollinator Partnership and the many partners listed below.
Read on or click HERE for more information about this exciting event
The first annual Mite-A-Thon will take place Saturday, September 9, to Saturday, September 16, and we invite you to participate!
FORWARD THIS EMAIL – Local beekeeping clubs and associations are key to making Mite-A-Thon a success!
The Mite-A-Thon is a national effort to collect mite infestation data and to visualize Varroa infestations in honey bee colonies across North America within a one week window. All beekeepers will be asked to participate, creating a rich distribution of sampling sites in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Their Varroa monitoring data will be uploaded to www.mitecheck.com.
OBJECTIVE: 1) Raise awareness about honey bee colony Varroa infestations in North America through effective monitoring methods. 2) Management strategies will be made available for discussion within bee organizations utilizing Mite-A-Thon partner developed information and outreach materials.
PARTICIPANTS: All beekeepers are welcome to participate – we need bee associations to help lead this effort!
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
- Encourage your members to participate in September, through meetings, newsletters, emails, social media etc. – http://www.pollinator.org/miteathon
- Teach new beekeepers how to monitor for mites in August. http://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/
- Help your members prepare their monitoring materials.
- Support your members in making sure they are able to monitor mites effectively and report their data.
DATA COLLECTION: Participants will monitor the level of mites (number of mites per 100 bees) using a standardized protocol utilizing two common methods of assessment (powdered sugar roll or alcohol wash) and then enter data, including location, total number of hives, number of hives tested, local habitat, and the number of Varroa mites counted from each hive. The published information will not identify individual participants.
COST: There is no cost. You can create your own test materials or kits can be purchased online. Some scholarships are available (js@pollinator.org).
CONTACT: Miteathon@pollinator.org or 415-362-1137
Learn more and stay up to date at www.pollinator.org/miteathon
Thank you,
The Mite-A-Thon Partners
