Harbo Assay Demystified: Expert Insights and Finding Mite Resistance with Cory Stevens
Conducting the Harbo Assay may seem daunting! Watch this video and you will learn exactly what to look for and what you can expect to see when you are seeking varroa resistant honeybees in your apiaries!
Special thank you to @stevensbeeco767 and @KobeApiaries for the help conducting these assays. An Additional thanks to @KobeApiaries for the "Jill the Ripper" footage.
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Title image
00:25 Jill The Ripper ideal breeder queen
01:10 What to look for when selecting a frame
02:15 Ideal time to score colonies for VSH
02:34 Criteria for when to pull the frames from the colonies
02:56 Are colonies okay to sit overnight?
03:19 Where do the frames go when done?
03:38 Importance of note taking
03:56 Sample frame to use for assaying
05:00 What equipment do you need?
05:42 How do I inspect the cells
06:12 Where did the mite come from?
06:23 What are we looking for and what kind of mites will I find?
06:50 How do you calculate a Harbo score?
07:01 What qualifications do I need to do a Harbo assay?
07:30 How big of a sample size is required?
08:10 What does a non-reproductive sample look like?
08:19 Do VSH colonies get mites?
08:37 The steps simplified
08:54 What does a reproductive cell look like?
09:24 Perfect stage coloration pupa
10:05 How long does it take?
10:35 If you can't find mites
11:05 How many do I need to do?
11:29 Cory thinks "poop" is funny
12:10 Photos of what you can expect to find
For more information on how to perform and score the Harbo Assay go here: www.harbobeeco.com/measure-vsh/
Checkout The Sustainable Beekeepers Guild of Michigan: www.sbgmi.org
Need Free Honey Bee Swarm Removal: www.mibeeswarmremoval.com
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Excellent Job fellas! James, your camera work was top notch!!! Cory, your explanations were straight to the point. There occasionally comes along a video in the world of KZhead, that makes a permanent place in your mind, and for me, this is it!!! I will certainly be referencing this in all of my talks, as I know I couldn't have done anywhere close to as good a job!!!
Thanks sir. That was my intention. A good reference for others to glean from that was highly visual and comprehensive.
Thank you
My pleasure. ❤
Top job 💪 Thank you Cory 🐝🐝🐝
Any time!
Thanks Cory, thanks James, even Jo-Brice pucker brush can do it! No tumble weed in NH. Have a happy holidays!
As long as Jo-Brice is doing something...I'm all about it!
@@JamesLeesBees ❤️☺️👍
Subscribe done 💪
Thanks! Glad you're here.
Any recommendations on where I could purchase some good VSH bee mated Queens for my operation here in Iowa? I'd prefer VSH Carniolan (or other dark bees), if at all possible.
You can always order queens in that have been mated - Wildflower Meadows in California is a good source. Also stay tuned to www.sbgmi.org and www.fightingthemites.com for breeding stock announcements.
@@JamesLeesBees Thank you so very much! I greatly appreciate your response! I will stay tuned!!!!
Poop on the pupa hahahaha
Holding it together during that clip was impossible.
@@JamesLeesBees I'd have died laughing too
Nice camera work and the devil is in the details as they say
Thanks Jeff. I appreciate you!