Sampling, Grafting, Mite Washing

Why wash before you treat

A mite wash tells you the mite load per 100 bees, which is the number every treatment decision should start from. It takes five minutes: about half a cup of bees from a brood frame, alcohol or soapy water, a swirl, a count. The Easy-Check is the cup we use; the queen excluder insert drops into it so the queen can't end up in the wash. The sampling and grafting tray gives you a flat surface to shake bees onto or graft larvae from.

Full walkthrough with thresholds: how to do a mite wash.