NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sugar shaking bees to detect external parasites

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A jar of bees with a mesh lid sits on top of an open beehive. a person is spooning icing sugar onto the mesh lid.

Hands holding and spinning a jar of sugar covered bees

Person shaking inverted jar over a white bucket.

specks of brown, grey, yellowish, and white in bottom of a bucket of water. 2 brown oval shapes are circled in red

Sugar shaking bees is a method used to detect external parasites, such as varroa mites and braula fly on European honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Varroa mite legs have sticky pads that help them hold onto the bees. It is believed that the fine sugar particles used in the sugar shake technique break down that bond. The sugar covering the bees stimulates grooming behaviour, further helping mites to dislodge.

This technique will not detect mites within sealed brood cells. It may also fail to detect very low infestations of varroa mites in hives, so regular monitoring should be conducted.

Equipment required

  • Large mouth jar (minimum 70mm wide) with a mesh lid (2-3.5 mm size mesh)
  • Icing sugar
  • Medium-large square plastic tub to collect bees shaken off frames
  • Measuring cup (1/2 cup or 125ml) to collect the bees
  • Tablespoon
  • Container (white or clear bucket/shallow tray) with a small amount of clean water to shake sugar/mites into

Humidity, honey flows and icing sugar type can all cause sugar clumping. Icing mixture has cornflour added to reduce clumping.

Method

  1. Select 1-2 frames from the centre of the brood cluster. Make sure the frames have a good coverage of brood (capped or uncapped) and a number of bees on both sides of the frames.
  2. Examine the frames and ensure the queen is returned to the hive.
  3. Shake bees from the removed frames into the square plastic tub. Some bees will fly off immediately, leaving behind predominantly nurse bees.
  4. Place the frames back in the hive in the same position as originally removed.
  5. Holding the square plastic tub with the dislodged bees, tap and manoeuvre the tub so all the bees collect into one corner.
  6. Using a ½ cup measure(125ml), scoop up a sample of bees (approximately 300 bees) and sharply tap the scoop of bees into the shaking jar and screw on the mesh lid.
  7. Add approx. 1 tablespoon of icing sugar to the jar by pushing it through the mesh, breaking up any clumps.
  8. Roll the jar at an angle to ensure the bees are coated in icing sugar, allow to rest for 1 minute.
  9. Invert the jar and shake the sugar out for 1 minute through the mesh into the container of shallow water.
  10. Add another tablespoon of icing sugar and repeat steps 7, 8 and 9. Repeating the shake is important for the effectiveness of the test.
  11. Inspect the contents of the container for mites. Stirring the water will help dissolve the sugar making mite inspection and counting easier. Alternatively, pass the sugar/water mixture though a filter such as fabric or coffee filter paper to make counting mites easier.
    Varroa are about 1.1mm long and 1.5mm wide and are reddish brown in colour. It may help to use a visual aid such as magnifying lens when inspecting.
  12. Release the bees back into the hive and inspect the empty jar thoroughly for mites.
  13. Record details including date, apiary location, hive number, and results.

Results and reporting

By counting the mites shaken out of the jar, you can calculate the total level of mites in the hive. Divide the number by 3 and that is the percentage level of mites in the hive.

Example:

If 9 mites are counted after the shake, then 9 ÷ 3 = 3 %

Use that level to determine the management actions for controlling varroa mite. The time of year and colony phase will also need to be considered. More information about varroa mite management can be found at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/varroa

Submit your test results (both negative and positive) by

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au