Mite capture of a big hive

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Finman

Queen Bee
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
27,887
Reaction score
2,022
Location
Finland, Helsinki
Hive Type
Langstroth
I have a really big hive. It has bropught over 100 kg honey. It had a brood brake because of swarming and now all brood had emerged. I have seen a lot free miten on bees. Brood brake has made the yield even bigger.

I wonder what to do? I got a proper drone larva comb from another hive but I prefer however this system better:

A new queen started just laying. After a week laying bees start to cap larvae and mites rush into cells. I think that the first 3 frames will get the most of mites which have waited 3 weeks where to go.

I take those 3 capped frames away with bees and make a nuc. Then I let them emerge and kill the mites in the nuc. I may calculate what will be the mite catch ithe drone larva lure and in worker nuc. Those workers will not survive up to the winter but they make some late summer works.

I have no intention to handle with some stuff the 6 box hive full of open honey.
 
Last edited:
Finman, how do you kill the mites - oxalic acid?

If it is 3 frame nuc, I may spray it with 3% oxalic acid and no sugar. Spraying on each side of frames.

or trickling.... it takes 3 weeks that all bees have emerged.
 
Last edited:
Is there any chance of interfering with or upsetting the virgin/recently mated queen when treating nukes?
 
.
It has not been noticed that treatment violates queens.

But when the virgin has 2-3 days period to make mating flights, it is better - perhaps- not to do treatment then.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top