Culling drone brood reduces varroa

[MJBee]

I have a colony that has been monitored monthly for varroa and shown a 1 - 3 average daily drop. All ok queen laying well bees looking healthy.

I have culled the 3" of drone brood built below a super frame 3 times over the season and just binned the first two. I decided to check the last one today - and was horrified to fine the following:- What was more shocking was the multiple occupancy - as many as 6 in one cell.

 

[the beehive lodge]

Thanks for the picture it goes to show that the mite will be here for a long time
An eye opener for me keep up your control of the little critters

 

[MuswellMetro]

just wonderng if , by using OMF floors we are producing a varroa mite by natural selection that clings on better and therefore does not drop off so readily and therefore put FERA calcluation table out for totla mites

i had a normal drop of one or two per week since May and did a drone cull three weeks ago , found 50% drones with mites, it risen to 10-15 drop now

Or is it jusr drifting drones

what% ofdrones looked at had mites

 

[MJBee]

Of the 50 larvae extracted 33 had mites therefore 66%

All my colonies will be getting Apiguard just as soon as I can get the remaining supers off - the result of that will be interesting.

 

[garethbryson]

What was more shocking was the multiple occupancy - as many as 6 in one cell.[/QUOTE]

Thats probably the next generation, they go into the drone brood before they are sealed and breed in there.

 

[rae]

Of the 50 larvae extracted 33 had mites therefore 66%

That's very high! I'm surprised you aren't seeing the effects. You're going to be knee deep in mites when you stick the apiguard on...

 

[RoofTops]

The trigger for treating is a level of about 5% in drone brood. I suggest your colony is on the point of collapse and won't survive the winter unless you act at once.

 

[MJBee]

Ab solutely right Rooftops - see post 4

 

[MuswellMetro]

i had a normal drop of one or two per week since May and did a drone cull three weeks ago , found 50% drones with mites, it risen to 10-15 drop now

O

oh dear, something wrong with to me today, second typo this afternoon

i meant 5% not 50%

yes i would use a three pot of apiguard cycle, if its that highat 66%, or even thymol soaked tea bags or thymol patties which you can make stronger