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Varroa mites are small reddish/brown colored insects that feed off of the body fluids of adult bees as well as larvae. They are visible to the naked eye and are most easily seen on brood (especially drone brood). Another symptom of Varroa is the presence of "crawlers", bees whose wings are deformed and cannot fly (hence they crawl around). Varroa does not cause this disfigurement directly, instead, they are a carrier for a virus that affects the bee while it is a larva.

There are several methods to treat for varroa mites; a short list follows but you should research what other beekeepers are doing in your area to treat them. You must learn to apply these correctly to prevent contamination of honey and resistance development by the mites:

• Apistan Strips
• Checkmite+ Strips
• Sucrocide
• Oxalic Acid
• Formic Acid
• Vaporized mineral oil
• Ascetic Acid
• Essential Oils

Just as there are several ways to treat for mites, there are several ways to prevent them. In some cases, the treatment and prevention methods are the same:

Screened bottom boards Powdered sugar treatments Drone brood removal Small cell foundation Queen bees with genetic behaviors to reduce mite numbers

The same chemicals listed above for treatment can aid in prevention.