Tracheal mites
I went out to my two hives today, and found at least 50 bees crawling around the ground. They are not able to fly, even when picked up off the ground. I split the colony earlier this week, and both colonies have healthy queens. My last mite check was april 1st, and it was 4.5% and i am currently treating with formic pro. I looked at several, and some had normal wings, and some did not. I did a hive inspection yesterday, and there were no bees on the ground. I am concerned it may be tracheal mites or deformed wing disease from mites. My previous mite check in march was 1%. How do i tell the difference between the two?
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The tracheal mites symptoms include:
Large numbers of bees crawling at the entrance of the hive, unable to fly
Disorientated bees
Bees holding their wings at unusual angles (called “K wing”). It means they are unable to hook wings together
DWV is one of the few viruses with easily recognizable symptoms. These symptoms are exclusive to the adult honey bee and include: twisted, shriveled wings, bloated abdomens, decreased body size, and discoloration.
My guess, based on your description, is that your bees do not have tracheal mites. Based on my experience, since your bees are infected with the virus, the colony will most likely perish.