2015 Survey Q & A – Powder Sugar Dusting

Q – I dusted powder sugar to try and reduce the mites….the questions asked don’t make it clear what type of method this is

A – You had comment that our question does not make it clear what type of method powder sugar dusting is (nor does it reveal if such a method works or not). There simply is no space to explain some of these things we do to our bees – and frankly there is no ONE METHOD of sugar dusting and no clear evidence that it works better than doing nothing (i.e. not dusting). This is a survey instrument (and like all surveys it has some problems getting at the information we desire. I am after only some expression of how many people do this (no matter how they do it). If on analysis a good number of beekeepers are doing this and they experience lower losses, it will be something to further investigate (and better define) in the near future.

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