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Yes, a sobering lesson. I shall continue to do the best I can by the bees and understand that, even if I manage to get the mite count down to zero, that I'm likely to have a weakened colony. That said I'm determined to redouble my efforts and give them every chance of pulling through. Winter...

As promised here are the stats so far: Hive Clean Treatment (between 6 frames) on 17.10.2010. All subsequent counts are taken in the evening 24 hours apart unless otherwise stated: 18.10 40 19.10 50 20.10 42 21.10 41 22.10 44 1 tray Apiguard applied 23.10 49 24.10 90 25.10 99 26.10...

So, After the Hive Clean Treatment I was getting a drop of around 40 a day which I watched for 5 days before I began to panic a bit. Put the Api Guard on and after 24 hours had a drop of 49. The next 24 hours brought a drop of 90, peaked (so far) on Day 3 at 200 and now, day 7 down to 100...

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've learned a heap just today. I'm sure everyone reading these posts will have picked up some very useful tips too. Thymol treatment has started this afternoon (thanks Andy in Preston for supplies) and I 'll be making some insulating blocks as per RAB's...

Thanks RAB. I have a dummy board in at one end - it isn't insulated though so I may try and stick some polystyrene in to help. How do you insulate a plywood dummy board? I did pick up plenty of thick insulating material from B&Q though and am planning to use this on the crown board.

Thanks johna for the reassuring words - I'm hoping the count I'm getting is because the Hive Clean is hammering the mites. Andy - thanks for the offer - happily exchange some apiguard for cash. I'm in Bretherton. Can I arrange to pick some up?

Thanks Chris and everyone for your advice. I'll apply Apiguard as soon as i can get my hands on some - else Apistan if I can get it sooner. Our club always recommend an Oxalic treatment in December also. That plus feeding them up and I'll see if I've got away with it. Still not sure if I'm...

Thanks RAB. Looks like Apistan it is then. I'll keep monitoring as I don't know if I've got an inflated daily count due the recent Hive Clean treatment. I'll also ask the Chairman of my local Association to come and have a look.

Thanks Chris. Maybe a quick thymol treatment may be best. Do you use crystals or a prepared treatment of some kind?

Thanks Mike. I guess its all good learning - just hope I have a colony in the Spring to work with. It's a bit chilly up here in Lancashire so starting to think about battening the girls down for winter. I wonder if anyone out there has experience of using Hive Clean as their only defense...

I'm in my first year of keeping and after reading/listening to all kinds of advice regarding treatment for Varroa I opted not to treat with any of the Api stan/guard/Life Var products but rather use the Hive Clean liquid on a regular basis. All seemed well during the Summer. However, I've had a...

I have a single National hive and for my first over wintering I'm going to lift the single brood box and place an empty super underneath. The theory (so I'm told) is that will allow the cluster to hang down without touching the OMF and so reduces the draft for them. I have no supers of honey so...

Thanks again to everyone. It's a bit drizzly hear today so hopefully I'll be able to collect my sample of flyers from the front of the hive when I get home later afternoon. Looking forward to my course and learning even more about my new hobby.

Thanks to all. The course is not for an exam - more informal but I should adopt best practice in any case. I need them for Saturday so I'll go for a collection on Friday afternoon and try the nail polish on cotton wool approach. Many thanks for the tips.

I have an adult bee disease microscopy course coming up and need to collect (and then kill :o( ) a sample of 30 bees. I've been advised that the bees should be flying bees so any ideas on the best and least distressing way to collect around 30 flyers?