If this was your bee, what would you do?

[BeeJayBee]

I know what problems I think I can see in this picture, but I'd like to be sure.

The picture was taken today, 7th Feb.

The screws are an inherited mouse-proof entrance, the green insect mesh is to provide a temporary landing board.

 

[enrico]

Yep....you've got a screw loose!!!

 

[VEG]

varroa under right wing

 

[Hivemaker.]

A giant varroa mite.

 

[eddiespangle]

Treat with OA now. Shook swarm in the spring.

 

[oliver90owner]

One thing not to do is panic. It may be the only one in the colony. The first thing is to ascertain the infestation. Of course, this may have been why the seller wanted rid so quickly? Who knows.

 

[Suzi Q]

Looks like two varroa?

 

[Finman]

.
Sky is falling,

I have omitted one way sheck mites. When I take an inner cover off and it has lots of bees, it is easy to look horizontaly how much I see mites under the abdomen segments.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Looks like two varroa?

Either that or it seems a strangely shaped single one, with a grove down the middle.

Treat with OA now. Shook swarm in the spring.

It'll have to be shook swarm. They've been taking in pollen and it looked as if there were a fair number of new bees doing orientation flights yesterday. Also, one of the problems of putting a huge layer of 'emergency' fondant directly onto the top of the frames is that it blocks access.

One thing not to do is panic. It may be the only one in the colony. The first thing is to ascertain the infestation. Of course, this may have been why the seller wanted rid so quickly? Who knows.

No, not panicking, just a bit irritated and realise that maybe 'Apiguard' treatment they were meant to have had last year probably hasn't worked too well. Can't check the level of infestation very easily - solid floors.

Is there an optimum time, in terms of colony activity rather than calendar dates, to do a shook swarm?

 

[mbc]

Just because they're taking in pollen, or if there's a little brood, it doesnt preclude OA, just that any mites under capping's will be protected and there's a possibility that any open brood may be damaged ( but certainly no more than if you shook swarm and discard the brood frames ! ). I'm hearing about more and more commercial beekeepers administering an OA trickle every time they go into their bees , yes, every time, even during the active season !

 

[RoofTops]

No, not panicking, just a bit irritated and realise that maybe 'Apiguard' treatment they were meant to have had last year probably hasn't worked too well. Can't check the level of infestation very easily - solid floors.

Is there an optimum time, in terms of colony activity rather than calendar dates, to do a shook swarm?

It is easy to get depressed about this but I will stay upbeat and repeat the message again.

A treatment of thymol in late summer is insufficient to control varroa. Even if it works at its maximum efficiency it does not kill enough varroa This is why it should be followed up by some sort of winter treatment of which the widely recommended is a trickle of 3.2% OA syrup.

There are other regimes and some will say they don't treat unless they have to but IMHO these ideas, although they work for some just cause confusion amongst beginners. Like the advice about waiting for a cold spell before adding the OA and as a result missing the critical time.

If it was my colony I would treat with OA now, despite the possible presence of some brood. The OA will kill a small percentage of open brood but given there is probably not much brood anyway this not a problem.

You can carry out a shook swarm once the queen starts laying strongly. I have done them when there were about 4 or 5 frames of brood in late March but into April is probably a more likely bet. Do not rely on the shook swarm killing off all the varroa - I have been caught out assuming this. I suggest either an OA trickle (unless it was done now) or a thymol treatment. You only need to use the thymol once and in both cases treatment should start as soon as they have brood but before any of it is sealed. Waiting until they have brood means they are much less likely to abscond.

The colony must be fed 50:50 sugar syrup after the shook swarm unless there is a field of OSR in flower next door.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Just because they're taking in pollen, or if there's a little brood, it doesnt preclude OA, just that any mites under capping's will be protected and there's a possibility that any open brood may be damaged ( but certainly no more than if you shook swarm and discard the brood frames ! ). I'm hearing about more and more commercial beekeepers administering an OA trickle every time they go into their bees , yes, every time, even during the active season !

This regular oxalic treating could be another option for Beejoyful and others,saves doing a shook swarm and discarding the brood,treat with oxalic now,then start regular treatments when the weather warms up, hopefully at the end of march...carry on until the start of august,only need to trickle around 16 times,or carry right on until the weather turns cooler in autumn,around 23 doses of oxalic, instead of using thymol ect. Then once again during the broodless period in winter.
The summer bees are always being replaced,so not much problem if it kills off a few old ones prematurely.

 

[tkwinston4]

If you did the OA treatment on a regular basis, what danger (if any) is there of the honey being tainted?

 

[drex]

I am a bit confused here. I know that mite numbers will only go up from now on.

But, one bee with one mite on it and World War 3 is declared?
My inexperience must be showing, but I thought a considered approach, after obtaining any relevant info, was better.

 

[Skyhook]

One thing not to do is panic. It may be the only one in the colony. The first thing is to ascertain the infestation.

I am a bit confused here. I know that mite numbers will only go up from now on.

But, one bee with one mite on it and World War 3 is declared?
My inexperience must be showing, but I thought a considered approach, after obtaining any relevant info, was better.

You have a mite. My bees have several, but I have hopes of dealing with them as and when.

 

[RoofTops]

But, one bee with one mite on it and World War 3 is declared?

It's because when you open up a hive and see varroa on bees it is almost invariably a sign that the mite levels have reached a critical stage.

In other words, if you see varroa on mites then it is possibly already too late. Which is why some of us reacted so strongly.

The "oxalic acid at every visit" approach is what is behind treatments such as HiveClean and VarroaGard, which use a low dose of oxalic to try and control the varroa. The two treatments have differences in composition and application but in essence their method of action is similar.

Applying full strength OA at every visit is a new one on me and might just result in the "OA resistant mite" which everyone says can't happen. However, given HM's long standing opposition to the use of OA I suspect he might be pulling our legs!

 

[mbc]

This regular oxalic treating could be another option for Beejoyful and others,saves doing a shook swarm and discarding the brood,treat with oxalic now,then start regular treatments when the weather warms up, hopefully at the end of march...carry on until the start of august,only need to trickle around 16 times,or carry right on until the weather turns cooler in autumn,around 23 doses of oxalic, instead of using thymol ect. Then once again during the broodless period in winter.
The summer bees are always being replaced,so not much problem if it kills off a few old ones prematurely.

Wow ! 16 - 23 inspections, poor bees must be sick of the sight of these commercial beekeepers, no wonder they need to trim the queens wings to keep them from leaving.

 

[Hivemaker.]

However, given HM's long standing opposition to the use of OA I suspect he might be pulling our legs!

Not that long standing Rooftops, and i have dosed over 840 colonys with oxalic,but was interested in the comment by MBC,so assume if its the normal oxalic mix they are using, its doing no harm dosing at every inspection, being as they rely on bees for their living.

Mbc,you did say EVERY TIME they go into the bees,and the first doses are based on 12 twelve day inspections,athough 9 are better, from from the first ones in march when the bees are moved to the rape,until the start of august....plus obviously there are some more in the autumn.......how often do you do swarming checks on your bees? by the sounds of it a lot more than 12 days in between.

 

[Easy Beesy]

. I'm hearing about more and more commercial beekeepers administering an OA trickle every time they go into their bees , yes, every time, even during the active season ![/QUOTE]

This can't be right - the little and often approach usually always results in resistance!
There is no guarantee that comm beekeepers know any better than anyone else what harm/good this does to a colony.
It's often the few who ruin things for the many by trying to cut corners. I just don't think little and often is the best way to go.
Eb

 

[BeeJayBee]

I am a bit confused here. I know that mite numbers will only go up from now on.

But, one bee with one mite on it and World War 3 is declared?
My inexperience must be showing, but I thought a considered approach, after obtaining any relevant info, was better.

You have a mite. My bees have several, but I have hopes of dealing with them as and when.

That's why I asked the question. There is sure to be a range of different answers

What would you do if this was one of your bees?