“Only you….”
Depending on your age, that phrase can evoke images of Smokey the Bear and his stoic message of preventing forest fires or, if you are a bit more on the wiser and mature side, you may recall the hit song, Only You, from the Platters. Regardless, the message is ageless and could not be more relevant in today’s world of beekeeping. If you are reading this, you know that every one of your colonies has Varroa mites. Yes, every single colony that you manage has Varroa mites. Take a deep breath. But you know what to do. You know that monitoring has to be done often and managing those mites will help keep those colonies alive until next spring. Only you can monitor your mites and only you can manage them.
Here at the Bee Informed Partnership, we have seen alarming mite levels in the Midwest – from North Dakota down to Texas this fall. Those mites are on the move and we need all beekeepers to take time to monitor (sugar shake or alcohol wash) this week. Join us in promoting the 2nd annual Mite-A-Thon. This is a quick, one-week window where we ask all beekeepers to open their colonies and monitor their mites and add to the collective data. Become a citizen scientist and watch the heat map fill up and see what other beekeepers in your area are reporting!
We need your participation and your data. Take a few hours to enjoy the fall sunshine between September 8th and 15th and spend some quality time with your colonies. JOIN THE COUNT.
ONLY YOU….
