Need to treat for varroa but am splitting the hive in about 2 weeks

[Falesh]

I have pre-ordered a new queen that will be coming in about two weeks, however I have found that I need to treat my hive for varroa. My inspection on the 7th of March showed that the hive was building up well with about 3 or 4 jumbo langstroth frames of bees (not sure how densely packed as I only looked from above).

My preferred method would be to do a shook swarm + oxalic acid. The question is if I do that now would I be able to do a split in a couple of weeks? An alternative would be using MAQS but the weather is a bit dodgy for that as it remains quite cold. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2633352).

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Isn't the colony small to be splitting?

That aside you would have time to vapourise oxalic three times at five day intervals.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Wouldn't even contemplate a split yet, and a shook swarm! - you mention three or four frames of bees - how much brood?

 

[midnight sun]

I have pre-ordered a new queen that will be coming in about two weeks, however I have found that I need to treat my hive for varroa. My inspection on the 7th of March showed that the hive was building up well with about 3 or 4 jumbo langstroth frames of bees (not sure how densely packed as I only looked from above).

My preferred method would be to do a shook swarm + oxalic acid. The question is if I do that now would I be able to do a split in a couple of weeks? An alternative would be using MAQS but the weather is a bit dodgy for that as it remains quite cold. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2633352).

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

How much brood though? Lots of bees without brood is not a 'build up' with respect. I agree with ericaA it sounds as though it's too soon and too small for a split. I agree on the Oxalic as well, although you could 'help' things with as many treatments as you can squeeze in perhaps!? If this Queen cannot be 'held back' for a while the splits are going to need some serious 'dummying down' and feed. Sounds risky to me. Just my opinion though.
Bugger! JBM beat me to it. LOL Note to self: MUST TYPE FASTER!

 

[wessexmario]

I'd go with the oxalic at 5 day intervals, that'll work whatever the temperature now. Sod's law says it'll be too cold to get a MAQS treatment completed or effective.
Ok, you might loose a bit of brood with oxalic if you dribble, less impact if you can vapourise, but how much more damage if you don't?

 

[bee ginnner]

It's too early for a shook swarm, remember most of your bees are very old now and need desperately to pass on to the next generation they don't need a big setback this early in the season. Treat for the varroa now and then let them build up if you MUST split them.

 

[Pete D]

Where is the new queen coming from ?

 

[Falesh]

Bare in mind my inspection was about a month ago and the bees have been bringing in lots of pollen for quite a while now and have lots of honey in the hive. I'm going to do a quick inspection on Saturday and check the brood but I wanted to start considering options now in case I need to buy in some stuff.

I am getting the queen mailed by bshoneybees so I will be delaying it if the hive isn't as strong as I am thinking it is.

Thanks for the replies, I'll go with the 3 treatments of Oxalic.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Thanks for the replies, I'll go with the 3 treatments of Oxalic.

Faklesh...vaporized, not trickled mind.

 

[Queens59]

You managed to inspect so early? We live on the edge of Dartmoor and haven't had the temp to inspect yet!! Amazing...

 

[einsteinagogo]

not been able to do mine, and I'm not far away, but I'm rural, and maybe higher, than an urban setting!

 

[MuswellMetro]

if you cannot vapourize then as a one off, consider bayvarol or apistan, even if the mites have local resitance to the pyretheroid in them , it will be better than nought

 

[BeeJayBee]

You managed to inspect so early? We [...] haven't had the temp to inspect yet!! ...

Ditto, and we're also a long way south of Yorkshire.

Wasn't there snow in parts of Yorkshire the other day?

 

[Falesh]

Falesh...vaporized, not trickled mind.

I have ordered a vaporize for the job, but thanks for the heads up.

You managed to inspect so early? We live on the edge of Dartmoor and haven't had the temp to inspect yet!! Amazing...

It was an unusually sunny and warm day, but even so I didn't pull out the brood frames for fear of chilling the little ones too much.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Yes, there has been snow...

I'm finding it much much colder than last year in these parts!

last year I had two overwintered nucs, ready by April 14th, and 5 frames of brood, the nucs were full to the brim, and had to move them into nationals, the damn things had started building comb in the feeder, after eating all there stores, caused me hassle getting the bees and queens out of the feeder part of the poly nucs!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, by this time last year the bees were hauling willow pollen from dawn to dusk and the hives were getting heavier. Hadn't looked in yet though for another 2/3 weeks.

 

[Pete D]

I am getting the queen mailed by bshoneybees so I will be delaying it if the hive isn't as strong as I am thinking it is..

Ah the old Italian Buckfast special, wondered who was still importing them

 

[itma]

... I'm going to do a quick inspection on Saturday and check the brood but I wanted to start considering options now in case I need to buy in some stuff.

I am getting the queen mailed by bshoneybees so I will be delaying it if the hive isn't as strong as I am thinking it is.
...

Ah the old Italian Buckfast special, wondered who was still importing them

Just wondering what the "stuff" might be(e) ...