First Varroa Mite Drop Inspection

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just a reminder - to get the right data from a varroa drop you do not put anything sticky on the board - the calculation is meant to be of the natural drop of dead varroa not stranded ones

 

[SireeDubs]

was it confirmed that varroa was the cause of the loss?

Yes, unfortunately. I wanted to blame wasps, but they just exploited an opportunity (weak hive). I had a test done for nosema c., but nothing. Beginners ignorance - I'd read all about how numbers just explode later in the year, but it just happened very quickly...

 

[Dishmop]

I fail to make sense of that answer.. Who or what exploited a weak hive?

 

[thenovice]

Early days for me I know but having been given a Swarm 3 weeks ago I undertook a drop count just to see if there was much in there being a wild swarm.

7 Days - 8 counted dropped - used the bee base calculator which said 45 currently treatment a long time off.

A few questions - how accurate is this test so early on in the hive? Small colony, probably very little drone brood etc

And also I attach a photo of the slide - any interesting tips of what is on there.

My guesses are -

• pollen,
• shavings (lots) of wax (interested to know if that is normal and what from),
• some mould (is than normal)
• and some liquid - tried to zoom in (what is that from), some bee parts.
• Some mites

Trying to learn from those who know...and hopefully others will learn as well from the posts.

CB

Hi CB,

Apologies for any unhelpful and nasty comments of some colleagues. The wax scales are very normal for hives swarms. They are flakes of wax from their glands that did not make it into comb. As for the varroa drop, it does not harm i guess but a new swarm can only have the varroa that came with the bees so you would not expect many to drop. At least you have a starting number and can plot the exponential increase from there ;-). the liquid is most likely poo or pollen that got wet. Good luck with the bees

 

[SireeDubs]

I fail to make sense of that answer.. Who or what exploited a weak hive?

The way I understood it was that varroa and DWV weakened the colony. Numbers gradually declined and they were less able to defend against the wasps.

This forum was really helpful in highlighting where things had probably gone wrong...

 

[Cb50]

Hi CB,

Apologies for any unhelpful and nasty comments of some colleagues. The wax scales are very normal for hives swarms. They are flakes of wax from their glands that did not make it into comb. As for the varroa drop, it does not harm i guess but a new swarm can only have the varroa that came with the bees so you would not expect many to drop. At least you have a starting number and can plot the exponential increase from there ;-). the liquid is most likely poo or pollen that got wet. Good luck with the bees

Thanks, helpful. At least it probably indicated they did not come with too many as well. Time will tell as it grows and drone brood gets to a normal level .

Thanks

 

[pargyle]

Hi CB,

Apologies for any unhelpful and nasty comments of some colleagues.

I don't think so ... when you have a year under your belt with the bees you will begin to realise that the one thing you have to learn in beekeeping is to THINK. Whilst some (mainly newish forum members) may protest about RAB's delivery his message is usually bang on the money - even if it causes you to rub a few grey cells together in order to get to the answer.

Questions are often posed that are so lacking in background detail and lack any suggestions as to a solution that the answer can only be 'read a bee book' ... not just from new beekeepers either !

The reality is that there are many people who just want 'painting by numbers' beekeeping. Whilst advice at this level is often available on here I, personally, think that the people, like RAB, who offer thought provoking responses provide a better platform for inexperienced beekeepers to tackle the future problems that they WILL face. There will be a time when the ability to research, consider, think and react ... independently..... may be essential. In the meantime - man up and try and understand that the 'NASTY' forum members are actually trying to help ...

 

[Dishmop]

The way I understood it was that varroa and DWV weakened the colony. Numbers gradually declined and they were less able to defend against the wasps.

I dont treat my bees. Never have....

I have seen DWV but only periodically, and it certainly hasnt caused any weakening of a colony to the extend of total wipeout.
Seems more probable you had no queen.

I wish I had ben able to take some pics when Outlander inspected my colonies to show how strong my colonies are. An overwintered nuc which was increased to a double nuc about 6 weeks ago, has filled some deep frames with stores and swarmed, and another is ready to be hived.

 

[Finman]

.
To be a beekeeper in UK, it is not easy.

The most single question and no help from others.

.

 

[Dishmop]

.
To be a beekeeper in UK, it is not easy.

The most single question and no help from others.

.

Its OK until we get told how to do it from people who have never done it here.

 

[Swarm]

Here we go again.
To any new beekeepers reading, you are expected to think and accept rudeness and insults from opinionated, arrogant people you have never met.
Good here innit?

 

[Cb50]

Here we go again.
To any new beekeepers reading, you are expected to think and accept rudeness and insults from opinionated, arrogant people you have never met.
Good here innit?

Some people see knowledge and experience as power, other see it as a gift. Sadly.

This morning my 11 year old had a look at the board and tried to guess what was on there. He got the pollen. Got the mite. Then surprised me as he has been reading a beekeeping manual (he rarely reads books so this was nice) he said have you put strips in. Nice surprise that the reading was of so much interest to him. My four year old correctly write down the mite count and found a few of them.

The advice just from reading other posts on here is great. The beginners section is there for just that and it is nice to see all the help given.

 

[mbc]

Here we go again.
To any new beekeepers reading, you are expected to think and accept rudeness and insults from opinionated, arrogant people you have never met.
Good here innit?

Mun, tis d interweb, d wey 2 read it is 2 ignore d posts which offend. Water offa ducks back innit!

 

[Dishmop]

I dont know it all.
In fact I probably know very little which is why I dont tell people what to do or the best or proper or only way to do it.
I offer suggestions which to me seem feasible or which in my exprience have worked, althought that in itself doesnt mean the same thing will work when I try it again.........hence its a suggestion only.

I am a "what if" --- "I wonder" ---- "how about trying" person.

The first thing new beeks read or are told is that they must treat their bees or they will die........and as a new beek they are going to believe this because they have no experience that it may not be corrrect..

"My bees died because I didnt treat them" whereas in fact you dont know why they died or that they didnt die because you did treat them.
Bees will also not die if you dont treat them, regardless of what some say.
Many new beeks seem to misinterpret the information about feeding bees into stuffing gallons of syrup and fondant into hives in the middle of summer, and as for the number of beeks on here who are always telling us in the middle of winter that "there was this that and the other" in the hive when the only way they could obtain that information was by pulling frames out, but that they only performed "operation quick peek"

Because I dont treat I am not a "natural beekeeper " because there is no such thing.

 

[Tomo]

There is an excellent article 'Advantages Of Using Open-mesh Floors' by Wally Shaw on the WBKA website. Worth a read. Make up your own mind if you think this is a good indication of Varroa.

 

[suedavies0117]

I totally agree with your post, I too am a complete novice and when you receive such a curt and unhelpful comment when asking a really good question - I too would love to know what things are found on the floor so I can identify them as well, perhaps someone could post some photos of hive floors with various items identified for us newbies to learn from - I haven't found anything in any of the books I have read other than pictures of varroa which is easy to identify in any case

 

[boosybees]

If it is of any consolation to you, I received similar (critical and demoralizing) comments as a novice from Oliver90Owner. Perhaps disregard any further comments from that source...........

 

[Cb50]

If it is of any consolation to you, I received similar (critical and demoralizing) comments as a novice from Oliver90Owner. Perhaps disregard any further comments from that source...........

I do. The riddles and sarcasm bore me.........

 

[charlievictorbravo]

One invaluable tool for checking what's on an inspection board is a mini-microscope, similar to this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Jewe...quipment_Lab_Equipment_ET&hash=item48673cf714

Pargyle posted information about these some time ago and I bought one. They are very small and easily fit into a pocket. They enlarge objects so that identification is so much easier than trying with the naked eye.

The only comment I would make about the photos shown in the original post is that there is a lot more mould than I have ever seen on any of my viewings of an inspection board. Is rain getting in somewhere or is it all from within the hive?

You might want to check the numbers on a more frequent basis than 14 days - after 14 days you get so much debris, it is difficult for a beginner to figure out what's going on. If you've only got one or two hives, you could probably find time to monitor every 3 or 4 days, record your count and add it to the next 3 or 4 days' count so that you have a 7 day count, which is the minimum recommended by FERA.

The people on the forum who seem to have the least problem with mites are those who provide a well insulated hive in which high humidity is not seen as a problem. As a newbee, I'm working along those lines - but making occasional mistakes!

CVB

 

[Itchy]

If it is of any consolation to you, I received similar (critical and demoralizing) comments as a novice from Oliver90Owner. Perhaps disregard any further comments from that source...........

Then you will miss out on important guidance, but you definitely won't be handed answers on a plate, because that will make you a lazy bee owner, not a bee keeper. Just take it without offence.