My First Varrox Outing...

[einsteinagogo]

I left for the apiary at 1.30pm, 5 minutes later, I normally walk, but had lots to carry, so loaded the car, I drove down the hard standing.... just drove the car off the hard standing and got stuck in the mud in the field - oh s***!

I thought, oh I call RAC, they can tow me out, when they get here...Bees come first!

My First Varrox Outing...(this works for me..)

(first my thanks to all those, that have posted tips on using varrox, e.g. using under OMF treatment, increasing dose, using foil wraps, packing into the varrox cup, where to buy), although they now think I'm a "cocaine dealer" in the office, after watching me measure OA out into 3 g foil wraps!

If I've mentioned your idea, Big Thanks!

These are my notes, and what I did...

Temperature hit 5 degrees C today, (postponed from last weekend!) so could not wait any longer, and decided today was the day to vape all my hives with my Varrox and OA. This is my first time varrox-ing the hives so, was not as quick as trickle-ing, but didn't have to open the hives, undo the straps, which are lashing the hives down. It was a real pleasure to be back in full bee suit, in the Winter Sunshine, with fleece hat, under suit, and full face mask and googles! - a neighbour asked, what are you doing, I thought you were beekeeping, and working with the bees, all colonies busy and out flying.

This could have been quicker, but I was cutting foam, inserting into entrances, and sealing with gaffer tape, and sealing inspection boards - but all adds to the fun, of beekeeping, and what else would I have done today, other than sit on my fat arse on the soda, in front of the one-eyed monster! (and I do enough of that at work 36 hours a week!)

I've treated with 3 grams of OA, under the OMF, this was measured out into foil wraps in advance (on an electronic balance in the lab!), I also used the 1g spoon to pack the OA into the varrox cup, ensuring compacted, in earlier trials, I found that this worked better than just dumping 3g into the cup, I also found by experiment, using my stainless steel "inspection boards", that the time for complete sublimation was 4 minutes, as heat was taken away from the metal.

I was surprised, that I must have had good seals on the hive, as I saw no wisps of OA leaking from the hives when treated. I did not think it was doing anything, until removing the varrox to find the cup empty of OA.

So, varrox was under OMF, sealed, 4 minutes, removed, and sealed for 10 minutes - repeated across all hives.

I also had time, to cut and make some new yellow correx inspection boards (found at work!), for two of the hives.

I now got inspection boards in on all the hives, will check the mite drop tomorrow.

I was finished at 3.30pm, RAC still not arrived, then found my neighbours chickens had escaped, so ran round after them....

RAC eventually came at 5.30pm, towed me out, although it was difficult, the van could not grip the hard standing.

Back here at 5.50pm!

An eventful day....and I gave the RAC Patrolman, a jar of honey!

I used an x-56Ah battery from my 2.0l turbo diesel, it's under powered for it, well charged voltage of 14.4v before starting, and taking a trickle charge o 0.25A.

On return the voltage was 14.1v, and charging at 1.1A.

I keep this on charge, just in case to jump start my cars, over winter!

I just need to wash off my car wheels, because they are covered in mud, and empty my car of bee stuff...but that can wait until tomorrow!

 

[Arfermo]

Treatment sounds good to me but I have never bothered in at least the last 6 years with the faff of taping the joints between boxes. Totally pointless as any escaping particles indicates good circulation imho .

 

[Nige.Coll]

Just 1 pointer.
If the bees are flying you will miss some varroa.
If you have 1000 bees out foraging and half of those have a varroa on them then you missed 500 varroa.
The varroa prefer to live on the nurse bees but will live on foragers when the colony is small or varroa infestation is high.

 

[Arfermo]

Just 1 pointer.
If the bees are flying you will miss some varroa.
If you have 1000 bees out foraging and half of those have a varroa on them then you missed 500 varroa.
The varroa prefer to live on the nurse bees but will live on foragers when the colony is small or varroa infestation is high.

Since the hive is full of oxalic particles, on the walls, frames and bees, the fliers get treated by contact with their pals when they return.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Just 1 pointer.
If the bees are flying you will miss some varroa.
If you have 1000 bees out foraging and half of those have a varroa on them then you missed 500 varroa.
The varroa prefer to live on the nurse bees but will live on foragers when the colony is small or varroa infestation is high.

Thanks for your response, what I meant was, there were some out and about from each colony. Which I had not seen before, as the hives were very quiet, no bees observed.

before I closed them up, approx 4-5 bees at the entrance, and when closed up I saw no bees gathering an the entrance, so I think most were home.

But I understand the issue.

I've got inspection boards in, so will check tomorrow, and may re-treat... lets see.