Solution: The solution to our problem would be to create a bee box with a brush system at the entrance that would clean most of the mites off of the bees. Our reasoning for coming up with this idea is that bees were dying due to Varroa mites. This solution was a low priced and a very feasible one. If bees die we all die because the bees do at least 80% of our pollination and if we didn’t have those foods we wouldn’t be as healthy as we are today. The way to make the bee box is get a nylon duster or weather strip material and glue it your entrance so the bees can go through it .

Step One: Buy the weather stripping and the adhesive (Some weather stripping may come with screws so you may use those instead of adhesive).

Step Two: Measure your bee box opening.

Step Three: Cut enough weather stripping to cover the entire opening. (You may cut some of the bristles from the weather stripping so that the bees aren’t hurt by the bristles.)

Step Four: Apply enough adhesive to secure material into place. (Use screws if they come with, instead.)

Step Five: Let dry for adequate amount of time. (Check adhesive used for amount of time.)

Step Six: Allow bees to use Grooming Entryway!

Here is what it should look like as a finished result.

Alternative Solutions:

• Bayer is still testing a plastic strip coated in chemicals with holes just small enough for bees to enter/exit and the idea is like a flea collar for pets. It is called The Varroa Gate.
• Powder sugar dusting is a non-chemical approach to the control of Varroa mite in the honeybee.
• Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS) is a whitish-to-caramel colored flat rectangular saccharide gel strip in a laminated paper wrap formulation of formic acid, a biopesticide active ingredient that is a honey.
• Api-Life VAR is one of the latest products available for the control of varroa using Thymol (Thyme) plus Eucalyptus oil, Menthol and Camphor.
• Sucrocide is a safe, non-toxic treatment that is sprayed on your hive three times a year.
• Apistan is a strip in impreganated PVC resin.
• Apiguard is thymol in a slow-release gel.