How late to leave varroa treatment?

[trevort]

Hi all,
Still need to treat for varroa yet. All the info points to putting traetment in,: eg Apiguard within the first two weeks of August, then feeding for the winter.
I still have a super of honey on one colony which I'm going to check Sat pm (working am!). If it is still not sufficiently capped, and if the shake test indicates too much unripe honey is it ok to remove the super and store it? If so what is the best way to store a super full of honey?
Any thoughts on this very welcome.
Thanks in advance
T

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Hi Trev,

Others may have better advice than me but I'd consider two things...
1. When to use Apiguard very much depends on your local climate. I would never treat in the first two weeks of August here in mind Wales because that is when my main flow is on.
2. If you super is not fully capped and you have doubts about extracting it, why not leave it on for the bees for over-wintering?

 

[Hivemaker.]

What is the mite situation with the colony....heavy infestation,light?

 

[trevort]

What is the mite situation with the colony....heavy infestation,light?

No mites at the last check about 2 months ago at least none I could see.

 

[Phil280]

Hi there!

2 months ago??? The number of mites doubles per month.
I had a few colonies last year that apparently had no mites - as much as I looked, I found not one single mite in the tray or on a bee.
In autumn they were dead although I had treated them but left it too late. Looking through what was left if the colony - plenty of mites.
I think ants may have cleared the tray of debri as they often nest in my lids.

Regarding time of treatment - can't help you sadly as I don't know what the climate/situation is like in your area.
I finished the year on the 21.07. and treated with ApilifeVar on the 22.07. and again on the 09.08.
Will see what the outcome of the treatment is and plan further treatment based on that.

You could freeze the frames and use them as food in the spring to get the girls going if you don't want to leave the super on over winter. You could also re-feed the honey and extract it again a few days later.

Greets Phil

 

[Nopants]

Hi all,
Still need to treat for varroa yet. All the info points to putting traetment in,: eg Apiguard within the first two weeks of August, then feeding for the winter.
I still have a super of honey on one colony which I'm going to check Sat pm (working am!). If it is still not sufficiently capped, and if the shake test indicates too much unripe honey is it ok to remove the super and store it? If so what is the best way to store a super full of honey?
Any thoughts on this very welcome.
Thanks in advance
T

The advice I would give as autumn seems to get early and earlier is Start treatment by 15th of August as it needs to be on for 4 weeks. If the temperature is too low Apiguard wont be effective enough as a treatment and you will have to treat with oxalic acid in the winter. I always find it a race this time of year to get the supers cleared ready for the apiguard. I have decided to leave a super on each of my hives and check the weights in september.

 

[MuswellMetro]

The advice I would give as autumn seems to get early and earlier is Start treatment by 15th of August as it needs to be on for 4 weeks. If the temperature is too low Apiguard wont be effective enough as a treatment and you will have to treat with oxalic acid in the winter. I always find it a race this time of year to get the supers cleared ready for the apiguard. I have decided to leave a super on each of my hives and check the weights in september.

dont agree with the 4 weeks

apiquard FAQ says two application with a temperature above 15c and that second application should be on and works for 2 to 4 weeks, in our variable September climate that is normally 4 weeks

so i always assume the treatment period is 6 weeks in total not 4 weeks as that allows for a few cold days

however i now often use an extra tub of Apiguard on my larger 14x12 hives if heavily infested with mites, so that extends the treatment to 8 weeks

The average temperature in my area falls below 15c around the first weekend of October (8th/9th October) and that is also about time HM starts her winter brood laying and i don't like thymol around then

so working back that means this year i will put on apiquard between the weekend 13/15th August to weekend 27th/28th depending on the mite count, you timing would be dependant on mite infestation and local average temperature

flow well, that depends on the apiary, i have some i have been feeding ,others still bringing in balsam, i just let the bees have the honey after mid august, i can then clean the spinner and have a

 

[busybee53]

How very sensible you are Muswell Metro. You have solved some of my problems for me. I had been thinking to begin monitorng the mite drop next weekend and then treat the following weekend. But this would delay things so I have decided to miss out the monitoring part. How many mites are there before I treat is not important. Its how many are there after I treat. So that is when I will monitor. I will feed the week after while the treatment is still on as my BKA advise that its ok to do both. I think they will have got used to the pong in a week.

 

[Polyanwood]

I agree with you MM. Ideally I want to have the supers off by 15th August.
Easier said than done though. It is a gamble leaving it later if you are going to rely on Autumn thymol treatment.
Sorry x post