Sticky Board Mite Fall Monitor

Various (Dadant, Mann Lake, Brushy Mountain) - Monitoring-Equipment

Overview

Sticky boards are white boards coated with a non-drying adhesive placed below the screened bottom board of a Langstroth hive. Mites that fall from bees during natural fall stick to the board and can be counted after 24 to 72 hours to calculate a natural mite fall rate. Sticky boards measure mites that have already fallen rather than total mite load, so they are less precise than an alcohol wash but useful for trend-watching and post-treatment monitoring between direct counts.

Pricing

$5 - $20 USD

Specifications

Use PositionBelow screened bottom board
Monitoring Period24 to 72 hours typical
AccuracyIndirect indicator; lower accuracy than alcohol wash
Bee MortalityNone

Features

  • Zero bee mortality monitoring method
  • Easy to insert and read
  • Good for tracking mite fall trends between direct counts
  • Standard accessory for screened bottom board hives
  • Widely available from major bee supply retailers