# General beekeeping > Bee health >  Varroa - sugar roll

## Jambo

Hello - wonder if I could get some opinions on this please..

First year of beekeeping and I tried doing a sugar roll on my three colonies on Monday.  The bees hated it less than I thought they would. 

In addition to two wasps, 5 legs and a lot of bee hairs, I got two varroa mites from my biggest colony (double brood). 

On the other two colonies, zero mites.  1/2 cup = +/- 300 bees in all cases.  The small colonies have both had brood breaks of around a month this year which I assume has helped, but is it reasonable that my numbers are this low or have I probably done something wrong?

Also, is there some solid guidance anywhere on how to interpret the results with regard to treating or not? Beebase only covers drop and brood uncapping...

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

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## Greengage

NUIG A University in Galway Ireland are doing a study on Varroa mites I have a number of PDF files on the study and interpreting the results only problem is I do not know how to attach them here. There is a chap on here Jon who I think is involved in contributing to the study he might know how to link you the files. otherwise if you Pm me I could e-mail you the files.

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## Jambo

Thanks Greengage, I've sent you a PM.

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## fatshark

This might be worth a look:
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/vi...tomologyfacpub
which suggests the efficiency is good for *quantification*

Of course, there's loads of stuff out there showing that sugar dusting is poor for *control*

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## Greengage

people on here are great at finding things, interesting.
I had an excel file on the chemical constituents of nectar for a many different plants think I can find it no chance......

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## Jambo

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm not completely confident of my method, in terms of selecting a frame which would give a representative sample nor leaving them long enough in the sugar...

I'm leaning towards treating anyway, and then doing better next year!

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## Jon

http://nihbs.org/ireland-varroa-moni...rroa-sampling/

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## Greengage

> people on here are great at finding things, interesting.
> I had an excel file on the chemical constituents of nectar for a many different plants think I can find it no chance......


Found it. Not that I understand it nor do I know where I downloaded it from.

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