Comb Trap vs. Shook Swarm

[davidharradine]

I've got a bit of a varroa problem at the moment, and am currently treating with Apistan and waiting to cull some drone brood on a super frame in the brood chamber.

I've also got a comb trap (to keep the queen on one frame so that all the brood is in one place) which I guess is going to be very effective, but I'm assuming it's too early in the year to do this as it will knock back the big build up at this time of year.

...but then, I'm guessing that shook swarms must do much more of a knock back, and they seem to be happening at the moment.

So, can anyone advise me whether I should stick with drone culling and use the comb trap in, say, June...or use the trap now...or do a shook swarm.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

David

 

[Moggs]

Hi. First check your area for Apistan resistance. It's not in common use these days. You don't want it anywhere near honey supers either. You're right, confining your Q can seriously reduce your brood build up (not what you want now).

Drone culling is effectve but not 'enough' if you have a significant infestation. You would also do well with an integrated pest management approach. FERA (Beebase) offer a very comprehensive guide.

How have you decided that you have such a varroa problem?

 

[davidharradine]

From doing drop counts, and because the bees have got deformed wing virus - not too bad, but I see some deformed bees in there. I understood Apistan to be OK during honey build up. As far as I know, I'm not in a resistant area (well, according to DEFRA map anyway). Thanks for the advice.

 

[Moggs]

Hi David

I wrote that you don't want it anywhere near any supers (i.e. honey for human consumption). Would you like to say what your varroa drop counts were, as a matter of interest?

 

[oliver90owner]

At the stage with bees with deformed wings usually means the infestation is at an advanced stage. I would be considering a shook swarm and oxalic acid, if you are inclined towards that medication and the colony is strong enough.

Varroa is a pest that needs to kept under control, not to be got back within safe limits from an excessive infestation. The former is easy but you need to work at it; the latter is difficult and invariably is bad for the bees.

Apiguard is an option as is formic acid as the weather warms. Usually the honey crop is very much depleted if they are at that stage.

It is far more important - the main priority, in fact - to get the varroa under control quickly or you may not have a colony at all. The honey crop can wait.

Nearly all areas of England had resistant mites due to repeated use and/or improper use of those type of varroacides.

RAB

 

[RoofTops]

I have done several shook swarms at this time of year and the bees in all but one case came bouncing back stronger than ever. The exception was a colony which continued to have a varroa problem, which is why now I would treat with OA a few days after the shook swarm to mop up most of the the phoretic mites.

Queen trapping is reported to be very effective but it stops brood rearing for an extended period whereas a shook swarm just culls the brood once.

 

[Nellie]

Believe that queen trapping is also viewed as being stressful on the colony too. I feel that for the length of time that it needs to be carried out for and with the potential to add even more stress to an already suffering colony, I'd be more inclined to use a shook swarm coupled with OA.

 

[davidharradine]

Thanks for the advice, but all things have changed as I had to do an artificial swarm today (7 queen cells including 2 capped since last inspection 7 days ago!). I have to say I think the Apistan might be working - 43 mites dropped in 3 days, and when doing a very careful inspection this morning (which led to seeing all those queen cells) I didn't see any bees with mites on them - which I was expecting in a heavy infestation - nor any more bees with DWV.

Also, re. the "prevention is better than cure" feedback - I treated with Thymol last autumn, went into winter with a very low mite drop, and treated with OA in January, so hardly conditions in which I've allowed the mites to run rampantly out of control. It's why I've been baffled this spring and not sure how best to treat.

 

[davidharradine]

Am shifting my next question (about whether an artificial swarm can take one extra step into a shook swarm) onto a new thread. Thanks for the advice here.