Mite Counts Explained: Alcohol Wash vs. Sugar Roll

Varroa treatment decisions live or die by your mite counts. The two common sampling methods — the alcohol wash and the sugar roll — both measure mites per 300 bees (about half a cup). The difference is the trade-off between accuracy and convenience.

Alcohol wash

• The gold standard: kills the sample, so you see every mite.
• Most accurate, but you lose the 300 bees you sampled.
• Best when you need a definitive answer before treating.

Sugar roll

• Non-lethal: powdered sugar makes mites fall off, then you return the bees to the hive.
• Can undercount by a third compared to an alcohol wash — keep that in mind at threshold time.
• Great for routine monthly checks without hurting the colony.

What the numbers mean

As a rule of thumb, 2 or fewer mites per 300 bees is low, 2–5 is moderate and worth watching, and above 5 (or 3% of the sample) is where most beekeepers treat. But your region, your treatment history and your hive strength all shift these lines. HiveLog's inspection form records the method, the count and the level together, so your thresholds stay consistent across the whole apiary.