Varroa check with CO2 Dispenser
The CO2 varroa mite tester — the Varroa Check — gives a fast, repeatable mite count without alcohol or soapy water, and the bees walk away from it. A short burst of CO2 briefly stuns a bee sample so the mites let go; you shake them out and count. The bees recover in a minute or two and go back to the hive.
What's in the box
- Sample container
- CO2 dispenser
- One 16-gram CO2 bottle — replaceable, so you swap in a new one when it runs low
How it works
Scoop a sample of about 300 bees (roughly half a cup) from a brood frame — keep an eye out so you don't catch the queen. Give the container a short shot of CO2 to put the bees to sleep for a moment, then shake it: the loosened mites drop through the holes to the bottom, where you can count them. Because the bees are only briefly anesthetized rather than killed, you can tip them back at the hive when you're done.
It's the same idea as the alcohol wash and powdered-sugar roll — separate the mites from a known bee sample and count them — but without losing the sample of bees.
Reading the result
Divide the mite count by the sample size and multiply by 100. With a 300-bee sample, 12 mites works out to a 4% infestation. Tracking that number through the season tells you when it is time to treat.
If the count is high
A rising mite count is the cue to act. Many beekeepers follow up with an oxalic acid treatment — see the NO Varroa Oxalic Acid Vaporizer.
Specifications
- Method: CO2 knockdown mite count (non-lethal to the bee sample)
- Includes: container, dispenser, and one 16 g CO2 bottle
- Weight: about 1.10 lb
- Dimensions: 7.48 × 5.31 × 10.04 in
Blythewood Bee Company is a disabled veteran–owned business.
