Keeping on top of varroa

[Erichalfbee]

How and when are people monitoring their colonies for varroa
Interested to see how folk are managing

 

[madasafish]

I look for signs of:
DWV
holes in capped cells
Varroa on combs/bees
when I do inspections during spring /summer.

If do see them, I treat.
But as I tend not to....

 

[BMH]

How and when are people monitoring their colonies for varroa

Interested to see how folk are managing

I have to admit, I dont monitor.

I blindly treat in Autumn and new year to keep the levels down in all colonies

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

 

[B+.]

How and when are people monitoring their colonies for varroa
Interested to see how folk are managing

1. Natural mite drop when bees begin to fly for first pollen at the start of the season to establish a baseline.
2. 3 samples per colony (21 days apart) through the season to track infestation growth/decline
3. 3 pin killed brood tests (21 days apart) to monitor hygienic behaviour
4. High scoring hygiene colonies are propagated and the daughters inseminated using single drone inseminations. Then, when she has her own workers, the colony is infested with mites and tested to establish the VSH level. This involves uncapping individual cells and establishing the number, age and gender of any mites found in each cell.

Separate from monitoring but still related, I use stock that is proven to manage their varroa levels so I don't cause a problem for other apiaries

 

[Millet]

I have to admit, I dont monitor.

I blindly treat in Autumn and new year to keep the levels down in all colonies

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

The same here

 

[mazzamazda]

One shot with a gasvap and wait 24 hours, gets 20-25% of total load at the same time, so much easier and faster than any other method I have used.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GasVap/about/

 

[Erichalfbee]

One shot with a gasvap and wait 24 hours, gets 20-25% of total load at the same time, so much easier and faster than any other method I have used.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GasVap/about/

That looks a neat bit of kit

 

[Apimama]

One shot with a gasvap and wait 24 hours, gets 20-25% of total load at the same time, so much easier and faster than any other method I have used.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GasVap/about/

Ooh I'm tempted to buy this. Has anybody else used it?

 

[Swarm]

Yes and very quick and easy it is. Lots of fuss about it from some nay sayers but such an easy way to treat your hives.

 

[Beefriendly]

Yes. It does the job....but be careful. As far as I know John has no product liability insurance and has since left the forum when it was suggested it might be prudent if he acquired such insurance if selling commercially and using a small blow torch for a purpose it was never designed to for...working in an enclosed space.
Be warned it gets very hot, so hot that sometimes when you add OA (sorry apibioxal) crystals into the cap they can sublimate immediately. You definetely need protective breathing equipment and it's a bugger to use if you have any landing boards as it won't fit. Other than that I carry one with me to vape swarms/broodless hives etc so a useful bit of kit.
But not legal, has no safety certificates/ no CE rating for selling in eu rating etc, so buy at your own risk. Something I am comfortable with, others may not be.

 

[Swarm]

Forgot to say, get a couple of spare caps and use them in rotation so the first will have cooled enough to use again.

 

[Millet]

That looks a neat bit of kit

I have one and it is brilliant..no car battery to hump about or tangled cables..but as BF said you definitely need a good
protective face mask.

 

[For want of a better word]

How and when are people monitoring their colonies for varroa
Interested to see how folk are managing

Uncap a few dozen Drone at this time of the season... not seeing any in my Natives must be the Rhubarb leaves and Vimto.

Yellow perrills are a different matter... when it becomes really bad the Sublimox ( Approved device) and Apibioxall ( adulterated legal OA) via a hood with the supers removes seems to be the only way!

Chons da

 

[Apimama]

Good to know thanks for the info all. Might treat myself, I need a torch for hive sterilisation anyway.

 

[For want of a better word]

Good to know thanks for the info all. Might treat myself, I need a torch for hive sterilisation anyway.

I think the piddley little torch that the discussed device uses would not be up to much for hive sterilisation!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think the piddley little torch that the discussed device uses would not be up to much for hive sterilisation!

You can sterilise the hive with Oxalic, you know !

 

[Repwoc]

I think the piddley little torch that the discussed device uses would not be up to much for hive sterilisation!

True, but it's excellent for lighting a smoker. Don't know why I messed about with matches for so long!

 

[beebopper]

That looks a neat bit of kit

There was a lot of talk about it on here whilst you were away.

 

[Repwoc]

There was a lot of talk about it on here whilst you were away.

"talk", lol, very diplomatic!

 

[Erichalfbee]

There was a lot of talk about it on here whilst you were away.

Yes. A friend has got me up to speed
I gather the chap sold quite a few at Tradex