So here is a photo of one of the bees that was ejected from the hive by her sisters because she is a victim of deformed wing virus. Basically infected bees have stubs for wings. The mite that spreads the disease is a blood sucker, and spreads the illness much like a tick would spread Lyme disease. By killing the mites you end the virus. With winter close by (when the queen stops laying eggs) we had to treat for the illness or the population of bees could suffer.
It's pretty gross, but dozens of dead mites underneath the hive entrance is evidence that the poison is working.
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