Loads of mites

[Wilfredbuck]

OK, I put my varroa treatment on 4 weeks ago…. I put the board under the hive on 2 days ago (just as an after thought) checked today and have about 50 mites on there - is that ok/normal? I can only assume they have been dropping off the bee and I must have had tonnes on them.

 

[Mint Bee]

OK, I put my varroa treatment on 4 weeks ago…. I put the board under the hive on 2 days ago (just as an after thought) checked today and have about 50 mites on there - is that ok/normal? I can only assume they have been dropping off the bee and I must have had tonnes on them.

You don't mention which treatment was used. Usually keep the board in for longer for a count, but if you are getting 25 a day there is something very wrong there. Sounds like high varroa in the first place and ineffective treatment. If the hive were mine, I'd be vaping with OA every 5 days for at least 4 cycles. If counts are high after that I'd continue until they dropped off. Thymol based treatments will be less affective now as will Apistan strips, as they are both temperature dependent

 

[Wilfredbuck]

You don't mention which treatment was used. Usually keep the board in for longer for a count, but if you are getting 25 a day there is something very wrong there. Sounds like high varroa in the first place and ineffective treatment. If the hive were mine, I'd be vaping with OA every 5 days for at least 4 cycles. If counts are high after that I'd continue until they dropped off. Thymol based treatments will be less affective now as will Apistan strips, as they are both temperature dependent

 

[Wilfredbuck]

I used Apivar - I was hoping that the amount coming off meant it was working

 

[Mint Bee]

OK. Apivar contains Amitraz, and treatment is not temperature dependent according to instructions. I don't use it so someone else can comment on efficacy and rate of drop, but I would expect one should get a peak drop soon after treatment has been applied, with extended time period to catch varroa emerging as brood hatches. There has been some discussion in the past wrt amitraz resistance. Anyone in the Cotswold's seen this?

 

[pargyle]

I used Apivar - I was hoping that the amount coming off meant it was working

Probably is working - Apivar is Amitraz based so it's not temperature dependent and you leave the strips in for 10 weeks in an autumn treatment. There should be a fairly consistent drop for the first couple of weeks after you put the strips in and it should then tail off as the brood cycles go through.

You should make sure you remove the strips though at 10 weeks .. there is resistance in Varroa to Amitraz and if you have a continual drop over the weeks you may have to consider a different treatment.

 

[Paulypaul]

I've just witnessed the same phenomenon. I'm in week 9 of Apivar treatment. Had previously barely seen any mite drop at all. In the past few days, there's by far the most I've seen all year. Admittedly, all dead.

I'm considering oxalic vapour treatment, to see if there's a further increase in dropped mites or not.

I'm a bit concerned.

 

[pargyle]

There's not much information available about the distribution of Amitraz resistant varroa in the UK ...most of the studies have been abroad or local ones in the UK but there is evidence that mites are becoming resistant to it where there are concentrations of beekeepers and the treatment strips are being left in place for too long. It appears that the lower levels of the chemical as the strips wear out are what allows the resistance to build in the mites. It's fair to say that OA by sublimation is more reliable these days ...but I know a lot of beekeeper who use Apivar every year in autumn and spring .. I'm not sure that's a good idea but change in beekeeping is sometimes hard to come by

 

[The Poot]

My lot have each had 5 vapes so far. Two are now pretty much varroa free, but three need a sixth vape!
In my experience, it’s been a heavy infestation this year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

OK, I put my varroa treatment on 4 weeks ago…. I put the board under the hive on 2 days ago (just as an after thought) checked today and have about 50 mites on there - is that ok/normal? I can only assume they have been dropping off the bee and I must have had tonnes on them.

Amitraz is a fast acting miticide. It can be used to measure an accelerated drop. It’s a pity you didn’t look in the first 24 hours.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My lot have each had 5 vapes so far. Two are now pretty much varroa free, but three need a sixth vape!
In my experience, it’s been a heavy infestation this year.

I have one that’s had seven