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Powdered Sugar Roll test for mites

Here’s how to use the powdered sugar shake method:

Beekeepers need powdered sugar, two wide mouth canning jars quart or pint — with ring portion of lid; any mesh cloth, such as No. 8 hardware cloth, that will retain bees while letting the mites fall through and a fine mesh cloth or window screen that will let powdered sugar through while keeping mites back.

To perform the test, cut a circle out of the No. 8 hardware mesh to fit inside the lid ring. After bees have been put in jar, add enough powdered sugar — one teaspoon to one tablespoon — through the mesh to coat the bees. Roll the jar around to distribute the sugar.

Invert the jar and shake so that mites and sugar fall onto a piece of paper.

Forming a semi-cone with the paper, dump the sugar and mites into another jar and cap with a fine mesh lid. Shake and invert to allow the sugar to escape.

A brief shaking will recover 70 percent of the mites; longer shakes will separate out up to 90 percent of the mites.