Beginners mistake not treating for varroa. What now?

[Courty]

My first year of beekeeping and I’ve clearly made a mistake with not treating for varroa early enough.
What are my best options now?
I bought a 5 frame nuc in late July, transferred it to a Abelo polyhive and initially it didn’t seem to flourish. By this I mean they didn’t seem to expand and build more comb, and the original combs were pretty much empty.
I followed advice to leave them to it and they did expand later on, building new comb and storing syrup and their own forage.
I checked varroa drop through the OMF and in September the count was low, 1.6 per day and I thought it didn’t require treatment.
As October progressed the count rocketed to 20 a day, I ordered some Maqs but they arrived just in time for temperatures to go below 10c in Yorkshire, so I haven’t used them.
There is evidence of DWV, I’m
confident that is correct, from the odd walking bee on the floor outside and then lots of bodies being dragged out that fit the bill.
There is still plenty of bee activity at warmer times of the day, a few bringing in pollen, and guard bees are keeping wasps out.
I understand that I have probably left it too late for protecting the winter bees development.
I don’t have a vapouriser, but oxalic acid seems the only real option now. Should I look at doing a dribble now and once again around new year? Or should I leave them to see how they manage over winter and treat with the maqs once the weather warms in spring?
They are buckfast bees locally bought.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
I fully accept responsibility for not treating them due to thinking they didn’t need it and were struggling enough without adding the stress of treatment.

Courty

 

[Beefriendly]

Buy some Apivar strips and stick them in. They are temperature independent.

 

[domino]

Buy some Apivar strips and stick them in. They are temperature independent.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I checked varroa drop through the OMF and in September the count was low, 1.6 per day and I thought it didn’t require treatment.

Counting natural mite drop through the OMF is highly inaccurate and should not be depended on

As October progressed the count rocketed to 20 a day, I ordered some Maqs but they arrived just in time for temperatures to go below 10c in Yorkshire, so I haven’t used them.

There are other mite treatments available that are not temperature dependent, such as Apivar or Apitraz

oxalic acid seems the only real option now. Should I look at doing a dribble now and once again around new year?

Multiple trickling of oxalic acid is not recommended it can damage the bees, and more importantly the queen, it is also not very effective when there is brood in the hive.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Apivar can be delivered from Thornes the next day get it in the Nuc ASAP. .
It's a 6 week treatment you won't notice much happening for the first few days even a week but it works really well I'm on week 4/5 and the mite drop is now in single figures thankfully.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Apivar can be delivered from Thornes the next day get it in the Nuc ASAP. .
It's a 6 week treatment you won't notice much happening for the first few days even a week but it works really well I'm on week 4/5 and the mite drop is now in single figures thankfully.
Balls what a pain in the...........

 

[thedozzer]

Buy some Apivar strips and stick them in. They are temperature independent.

+1

 

[Courty]

Thanks

Thanks, there seems to be a good consensus.
Courty

 

[Millet]

Rather than opening them up to administer strips of any kind... try vaping them instead.. four times every 5 days under the open mesh floor...

 

[Beefriendly]

Rather than opening them up to administer strips of any kind... try vaping them instead.. four times every 5 days under the open mesh floor...

Steve ...it's his first year, hasn't a vaporiser.

 

[Millet]

Steve ...it's his first year, hasn't a vaporiser.

Doh.. i missed that bit.. however i had everything in my first year after up's and down's each day/week.. i like to over prepare even if it is not necessary...

 

[fatshark]

But the key thing that's not been mentioned is that it's too late to protect the majority of the winter bees from DWV. It doesn't matter what you treat with at this stage of the season ... it'll kill the mites but the likely high viral load in the winter bees will reduce their longevity and - possibly - the likely survival of the colony.

Personally I'd save my money, dribble when "broodless in midwinter" (the key thing here is the broodless, not the midwinter) and hope for the best.

 

[Eyeman]

But the key thing that's not been mentioned is that it's too late to protect the majority of the winter bees from DWV. It doesn't matter what you treat with at this stage of the season ... it'll kill the mites but the likely high viral load in the winter bees will reduce their longevity and - possibly - the likely survival of the colony.

Personally I'd save my money, dribble when "broodless in midwinter" (the key thing here is the broodless, not the midwinter) and hope for the best.

Difficult to generalise when the 'last round' of brood which makes up the winter bees occurs. I'm removing some Apivar strips and there is plenty of BIAS around so no signs of the queen stopping laying yet. Present incumbants will need to nurse that brood so unlikely to be the long lived winter crew? Also with a mild winter the fat bees wont need to live as long before they are replaced by the new spring bees. I would recommend treating now with Apivar.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

We have all made (will continue to make) mistakes in beekeeping. Now you have realized it, I hope it's not too late!

 

[fatshark]

Difficult to generalise when the 'last round' of brood which makes up the winter bees occurs. I'm removing some Apivar strips and there is plenty of BIAS around so no signs of the queen stopping laying yet. Present incumbants will need to nurse that brood so unlikely to be the long lived winter crew? Also with a mild winter the fat bees wont need to live as long before they are replaced by the new spring bees. I would recommend treating now with Apivar.

Difficult to generalise yes, but probably earlier than now. Queens still laying here as well, but at a much reduced rate.

 

[Beefriendly]

Assuming they do survive; treating now or dribbling at Xmas will ensure that the colony doesn't have an excessive number of mites come spring.

 

[Eyeman]

Difficult to generalise yes, but probably earlier than now. Queens still laying here as well, but at a much reduced rate.

I suspect that there is a range of 'fat' winter bees dependent on how much brood rearing duties they had to perform. Those that emerged from the last round of BIAS are likely to be the longest survivors.
I'm giving my nosema prevention thymol syrup now in the hope I catch as many of those potential 'fat' bees as possible.