Increased Varroa Mite

[Curly green finger's]

I am beginning to wonder about the effectiveness of Apiguard. Treated all my hives in Autumn when the temperature was 16-18 with 2 trays over a 5 wk period.
Last week I had between 27 -36 mites per day on the insert board over a 5 day period. Will do OA vaporisation now.

If I remember correctly, Finman's recipe produces about 170 ml of solution. You only need 5 ml per seam of bees. Adjust quantities accordingly. Most of my hives had up to about 6 seams, when I treated ( by vape) . Now is a good time, before the solstice, mild, after a cold spell

Yeap plan to trickle treat 50 colonys or so starting tomorrow. Out side temp today is 9c today and 10 tomorrow its supposed to get colder next week so hopefully I can get to do them before then.

 

[Finman]

what di it taste like?

I did not taste it. It has sulfide odor because on all kind of organ rubbish on the bottom. Lots of pollen sometimes in rain water anf on roof. Sometimes dead creatures, like earth worms and snails.

 

[Finman]

Apiguard is thymol. It is not right time to wonder it with oxalic acid.

 

[Finman]

Yeap plan to trickle treat 50 colonys or so starting tomorrow. Out side temp today is 9c today and 10 tomorrow its supposed to get colder next week so hopefully I can get to do them before then.

Do first 1 kg sugar + 1 kg water + 75 g oxalic acid. When you have used it, do more syrup.

A good amount of hives!

 

[North End Bees]

Do first 1 kg sugar + 1 kg water + 75 g oxalic acid. When you have used it, do more syrup.

A good amount of hives!

And for the OP, the earlier recipe of 100g sugar to 7.5g OA (8.5g of Apibioxal) will be more than enough for two hives.

 

[Finman]

And for the OP, the earlier recipe of 100g sugar to 7.5g OA (8.5g of Apibioxal) will be more than enough for two hives.

200 g syrup is for 5 one box hive and for 3 two box hive.

 

[BBC]

Thanks again guys.
I’ll use Avian out of a glass bottle…..
Seriously though, thank you all.

 

[oliver90owner]

Do all remember that while winter trickling may kill off most mites it is like ‘closing the door after the horse has bolted’.

If varroa loads were high when the winter bees were being brooded, those bees may well be adversely affected over the winter period. Think here of life expectancy during the summer season versus that required over winter.

Treated effectively, before the winter bees are brooded, is the only way to go for good winter survival.

 

[polymath]

Do all remember that while winter trickling may kill off most mites it is like ‘closing the door after the horse has bolted’.

If varroa loads were high when the winter bees were being brooded, those bees may well be adversely affected over the winter period. Think here of life expectancy during the summer season versus that required over winter.

Treated effectively, before the winter bees are brooded, is the only way to go for good winter survival.

Agreed, but a Winter treatment now means the spring bees can really get going much better and puts you in a great position for good spring colonies so both are equally important no point have bees come through winter all weak in the spring.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Agreed, but a Winter treatment now means the spring bees can really get going much better and puts you in a great position for good spring colonies so both are equally important no point have bees come through winter all weak in the spring.

Even more so if you have used apivar or strips of your choice and the colonys have moved from one of them.

 

[Do224]

Perfect, just read loads and opting for the dribbling method. I need to check they’re brood-less though. Also outside temp.
Thank you for your time and useful links sir.

Do you have to be sure they’re broodless to do a trickle?

Is it ok to lift a few frames to check they’re broodless? I was under the impression that it was a case of crown board off, trickle, crown board back on all within a minute or so to prevent heat
loss?

I might need to treat mine too so just trying to work out the correct method as I’ve never done it before...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you have to be sure they’re broodless to do a trickle?

No - although trickling is a lot more effective if they are broodless

Is it ok to lift a few frames to check they’re broodless?

Yes - it takes seconds, just lift, look and put back.

about now is he best time to find them broodless, but if it's very mild they may never stop brooding totally, OA doesn't work on sealed brood so if you do it when there's brood, you are going to miss some of the mites, but at this time of the year, you will still give them a good kicking, you could hang on for a really good midwinter 'cold snap' but be aware that from the new year on, regardless of the weather they will start revving up production in preparation for the spring

 

[BBC]

No - although trickling is a lot more effective if they are broodless

It’s very warm here in Somerset at the moment. I’m going to wait to see if the temps drop next week. They’re very busy and unable to get near without my suit on!
I’m off work now so can trickle next week.

 

[BBC]

Noted thanks

 

[Buzzlodge]

I am beginning to wonder about the effectiveness of Apiguard. Treated all my hives in Autumn when the temperature was 16-18 with 2 trays over a 5 wk period.
Last week I had between 27 -36 mites per day on the insert board over a 5 day period. Will do OA vaporisation now.

I had the opposite experience.
I treated my hives with Apiguard in August/September. 10 days ago I vaped them with OA, put in bottom boards and checked the drop after a week. The first five hives had zero drop, nothing at all. I began to assume that I had messed up the vaping process but when i checked the sixth and final hive there were hundreds of varroa on the bottom board. I checked back my records and yes, the sixth hive was the only one that has not been treated with Apiguard in August. It was weak hive with a new queen and i didn't want to disturb it at the time. I had also added several frames of capped brood (and varroa), taken from the other hives before their apiguard treatment started.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had the opposite experience.
I treated my hives with Apiguard in August/September. 10 days ago I vaped them with OA, put in bottom boards and checked the drop after a week. The first five hives had zero drop, nothing at all.

Have you checked whether these have any brood?

 

[Buzzlodge]

Have you checked whether these have any brood?

No, i didn't remove any frames. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some there. But even if there was plenty of brood I would expect a respectable drop in a heavily infected hive

 

[oliver90owner]

No, i didn't remove any frames. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some there. But even if there was plenty of brood I would expect a respectable drop in a heavily infected hive

Not heavily infected, but virtually all the mites could be tucked up in brood, if there is enough brood and not so many mites….

 

[Finman]

Do all remember that while winter trickling may kill off most mites

It kills 96%, not only most.... if it goes well

 

[oliver90owner]

It kills 96%, not only most.... if it goes well

Emphasis on “if all goes well”? Fewer if all does not go so well. Even fewer if mites are tucked away in capped brood!