Before getting my own bees, my mentor began sharing her beekeeping knowledge with me. I learned about the “sugar shake” method during the hive inspection at my mentor, Cely Chicurel’s apiary. 

We first did a bee inspection to check on the conditions of the hive. Then we collected a sample of ½ cup of bees in a jar, added 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar to the jar, and left it to settle. We came back to it to shake the mites off of the bees. The hives turned out to be very healthy, with little to no mites! 

Overall, the mite inspection was personally a great experience for me and gave me insight to the vital duties beekeepers have to take on to maintain healthy hives. I seriously look forward to having my own hives soon!