Varroa mite counting from a photo

Take a photo of a frame with bees or of the bottom board; the app circles the visible varroa mites in red, counts the bees too and reports visible mites per 100 bees. Counting runs on the phone.

These tools are part of the BeesLike mobile app and are available to Pro members. The app is coming soon to the stores; your account is the same on the website and in the app.

Varroa mite counting from a photo – Result

How it works

Shoot the frame up close: photograph the left and right half of each frame separately, let the bees fill the box and avoid shadows.
The app scans the photo in tiles; it finds the bees first and then looks for mites at the size expected from the bees.
Review the result: tap a wrong mark to remove it, long-press to add a missed mite, then save it to the hive record.

What you get

Visible mites per 100 bees

You get the bee count as well as the mite count, so results compare across hives and over time.

Bottom board photos

Mites that dropped onto a sticky or plain bottom board are counted too, so you can follow the drop after a treatment.

Hive history

Each count is saved to the hive card with its date; you see how the infestation changes through the season.

A photo counts only visible mites; mites under the bees' abdomen are hidden. Confirm with an alcohol wash or sugar roll before deciding on treatment.

Real screens from the app

Screens from the Turkish interface; the app works in 9 languages.

Varroa mite counting from a photo – Capture screen — Capture screen

Varroa mite counting from a photo – Analysis — Analysis

Frequently asked questions

How do you count varroa mites?

The standard methods are the alcohol wash, the sugar roll and the sticky board count. The app gives a quick first measurement from the visible mites in a frame or board photo; confirm with a wash before you treat.

How many varroa mites is too many?

A commonly used threshold is about 2 to 3 mites per 100 bees in late summer; it depends on region and season. See the varroa monitoring page in the knowledge library.

Does it need an internet connection?

Counting runs on the phone; the result is sent to the hive record when a connection is available.