AO Vape frequency

Cole lynch · Jun 28, 2020

Hi Folks
I installed my first colony on June 1st. It was a captured swarm and had been housed in a nuc for appx 7 days. There was no brood that I could see when I transferred them to my brand new National.
On 9th June there was brood at all stages incl capped.
On 19th June I noticed bees with deformed wings.
On 20th I did an OA Vape treatment and counted 30 varroa on the Corex board the next day
25th June carried out 2nd OA vape again 30 varroa on inspecting correx
I’m due to do the last of the 3 treatments on 30th
I’m concerned that it’s not effective Due to the brood.
Should I increase the frequency of treatment.
I’m intending to put the first Super on after the final treatment.
Any advice, how often has anyone used AO in summer ?
I was thinking of using Apiguard as a follow up in August
I’m due to collect a nuc on Tues and am concerned re transferring mites due to drift, the hives are 6ft apart
TIA

The Poot in Somerset · Jun 28, 2020

You would have been better served to have vaped the nuc when you first had them, with no brood.
You can do a couple more vapes without doing any damage.
How many bees appeared to have deformed wings?

Cole lynch · Jun 28, 2020

The Poot in Somerset said:
You would have been better served to have vaped the nuc when you first had them, with no brood.
You can do a couple more vapes without doing any damage.
How many bees appeared to have deformed wings?

Thanks for responding.
There have been an average of 2 or 3 per day that I’ve seen whilst around the hive. But I’ve also seen mites on workers during inspections.
Yep I realise now that pre- brood treatment would’ve been the way to go. I’m afraid I’m winging it a bit. Covid prevented me shadowing or doing a course. I had cancelled my nuc order but was then kindly gifted the nuc as I had the hive assembled. Was I’ll prepared and presumed from what I’d read that the brood break experienced by the swarm would suppress the mites multiplying. You live n learn

jenkinsbrynmair · Jun 28, 2020

Cole lynch said:
Was I’ll prepared and presumed from what I’d read that the brood break experienced by the swarm would suppress the mites multiplying. You live n learn

You'll also quickly learn that there's a lot more rubbish written about bees than there is decent informative stuff