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Varroa Destructor Mites have been responsible for the loss of thousands of colonies in the state of Colorado over the last five years. Smaller than the head of the pin, this parasite passes debilitating viruses and pathogens into honeybee colonies, resulting in colony weakness, absconding, and many times death. It's rate of reproduction makes it a problem that all beekeepers must manage to maintain healthy colonies and grow their apiaries.
Both new and experienced beekeepers will face the challenges of how to manage varroa mites in their colonies, but with so many approaches to treatment and products on the market, it can be overwhelming. The aim of this class is to de-mystify the varroa mite and give beekeepers a game plan for illness/loss prevention that works in the short beekeeping season as experienced in Colorado.
We want you to feel comfortable when working with your bees and this class will answer all mite related questions as well as give advice on treatment and management decisions.
This class will cover basic mite biology, virus identification, mite count methods, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols, organic and synthetic products for treatment, and the latest and most effective beekeeping practices and guidelines based on the most current research available.
Time: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location: Classroom, Rocky Mountain Bee Supply, 24 S. Walnut St., Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Level: Beginner, Intermediate
Prerequisite: A previous basic beekeeping class or beekeeping experience
Parking: We have limited parking in our lot...overflow parking is next door in the parking lot west of us or across the alley in the northern lot of the Western Omelet Diner. Please do NOT park next to The 64 Store...you will be towed.
Please bring:
The class will begin promptly at 3 pm and will go to 7:00 pm. As always, an open Q & A session will follow the class.
Your instructors: Dolly and Leonard Rickerman have been beekeeping on the Front Range for well over a decade, and before that, in various parts of the United States during Leonard's 20 years with US Army, Special Forces. We opened our doors in 2016 to provide quality beekeeping supplies, education, and honeybees to local beekeepers as well as local honey, pollen, and beeswax. We serve the state of Colorado, as well as surrounding states for access to superior bees, beekeeping supplies, medications, feed, best practices, and customer service/support for all things honeybees. Both Dolly and Leonard strive to keep up with the latest effective varroa mite management protocols for hobbyist beekeepers.
No recording/filming is permitted during the class. All class materials, to include the live presentation, recorded presentation, PowerPoint slides, class notes, hand outs, and photos, are copyrighted, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, and are not to be distributed, or shared without express permission from Rocky Mountain Bee Supply LLC. Rocky Mountain Bee Supply LLC, Copyright 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the class if required. In this case, all students will have the option to receive a full refund or attend the class at a later time.
For private speaking engagements for your club or group on your choice of beekeeping topics, please email us at RMBS@rockymountainbeesupply.com.