Expected mite drop?

[fatshark]

For half a dozen colonies in an apiary trickling is faster for one person with two entrance blocks ... I have so little to do in the winters that I timed it last year

Not much faster mind ... and if you take into account the time preparing the Api-Bioxal in the kitchen before dribbling then I suspect sublimation wins overall.

I prefer to use the Sublimox.

 

[Eyeman]

Sorry i take issue with that, I would never recommend to people that a single winter treatment was sufficient and never saw others do it. If i found anyone doing that i would have laughed at them. The only possible exception would be in parts of the world that have a shorter summer period and there by a shorter brood period and less of a chance for mite numbers to build. I would say winter treatments have been advocated as belt and braces approach when resistance built to apistan, but even then apiguard/thymol followed very swiftly. Also for those that were proactive info for additional treatments was available in the form of european research/treatments not yet approved in the uk.
I will continue a autunm treatment followed by winter because they serve different reasons...your first treatment kills the summer build up of mites and gives bees the ability to produce healthy winter bees. With very mild periods we can have months of brood rearing after treatment and there is also a chance of mites being picked up from other hives. So a simple winter treatment vape or trickle that costs pence, there is no chance of resistance issues and provides bees with the cleanest possible start to the following season is a no brainer. Personaly i prefer the trickle but obviously many are now vaping thats just choice. A number of times i trickled 200 plus hives in a day, you just could not do that with a vape. As for this rubbish about ripping into or disturbing hives in winter its just b%^&*%^$. You dont rip into them you do it with consideration!!!! I could just as easily say that opening/ripping into a hive in winter and treating will reduce any losses, it did for myself and many others in periods when others lost large numbers and far more than i or others that ripped into hives ever did.
Also dont confuse crap info given out by many regarding treatments particularly in the early days of organic treatments against those that did the research and followed good pratice already established in many parts of the world long before the UK

You seem to have entered this forum recently without any hive type or hive numbers. Unsure what experience you have?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry i take issue with that,

I care not one iota whether you take issue or not.
I gave my opinion based on conditions and options now not what happened back in the last century when panic reigned supreme and options were few as well as knowledge limited.
How my grandfather treated his bees way back when has little relevance to how I keep my bees now.

 

[Beefriendly]

I have only treated twice during winter, that was back in 2006/7, never again.

What happened to put you off a winter treatment?

 

[Hivemaker.]

What happened to put you off a winter treatment?

The aftermath of 3.2% oxalic acid trickled over the bees.

 

[Beefriendly]

That's okay then I was worried you had seen some bad results from vaping in the winter.

 

[Ian123]

I care not one iota whether you take issue or not.
I gave my opinion based on conditions and options now not what happened back in the last century when panic reigned supreme and options were few as well as knowledge limited.
How my grandfather treated his bees way back when has little relevance to how I keep my bees now.

Lol...seriously stop the drama, my grandfarther did not deal with varroa, and guess the last century bit is for effect, I would guess we are about the same age to top it off.....none of that has anything to do with why a winter treatment is a good idea or not or ripping into hives

 

[Swarm]

Around these parts, Winter Solstice treatment is carried out as a precaution due to Apiguard going on too late and hence being less effective. Down to trying to take advantage of Balsam and the fluctuating temps, supers are on many hives until end of September. Add a few weeks for treatment and you begin to realise it's too late as the damage is already done.

 

[thedozzer]

Around these parts, Winter Solstice treatment is carried out as a precaution due to Apiguard going on too late and hence being less effective. Down to trying to take advantage of Balsam and the fluctuating temps, supers are on many hives until end of September. Add a few weeks for treatment and you begin to realise it's too late as the damage is already done.

is now to late to have treated them then? from all the reading i have done it suggests to put Apistan/Apivar in around August to September and it works out that our Apivar will come out near the end of October if we leave it in for 6 weeks.

another question related to the mite treatment, when are winter bees laid by the queen? roughly and is it environmental factors like temp/food or is it the same time each year, was wondering if the bees laid after the autumn brood break that everybody mentions are the winter ones.

 

[Hivemaker.]

is now to late to have treated them then?

Now is okay for this area, cannot say what would be right for other areas though.

another question related to the mite treatment, when are winter bees laid by the queen? roughly and is it environmental factors like temp/food or is it the same time each year, was wondering if the bees laid after the autumn brood break that everybody mentions are the winter ones.

The queens start laying again here when the ivy flowers, which will be very soon now, most will carry on laying right through until mid December, some will even produce a small amount of brood right through the winter.

 

[thedozzer]

Now is okay for this area, cannot say what would be right for other areas though.



The queens start laying again here when the ivy flowers, which will be very soon now, most will carry on laying right through until mid December, some will even produce a small amount of brood right through the winter.

Ok thank you for the info, just want make sure we do right the right thing for the colony.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

all of my queens have been off lay for a while - expect them to start again soon though.

 

[Millet]

all of my queens have been off lay for a while - expect them to start again soon though.

How do you know if you do not open up since time began.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How do you know if you do not open up since time began.

Anyone with half a brain (so maybe you should be excused) would know there are other ways of telling than opening up.