Queen trapping for varroa control

[Gardenbees]

FERA have a leaflet out about queen trapping for controlling varroa:
https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=204

Basically you enclose successive brood combs in a queen excluder barrier, and leave the queen in there (confined to one comb) for 8 days; on the 9th day, mark that comb, and move her onto another comb; then, after 9 more days, destroy the first comb before the incubating mites hatch out... then again, so that three lots of varroa babies get thrown out with three brood combs. After that (36 days) the hive should be virtually free of either adult or incubating mites.

For the loss of three combs of brood, and the limiting of brood on the surrounding combs, for just over a month, this seems just about worth trying. FERA claim that the workers, with less brood to cope with, tend to forage more and produce more honey (although by the end of the month their numbers will be reduced).

Has anyone made one of these "queen trap" arrangements, and tried this out? I did try a search, but apart from a couple of passing mentions I can't find much talk of it on the Forum.

 

[Skyhook]

I've read about this... sounds to me like a lot of faffing about, plus a generation gap in the colony- don't think I'll be trying it.

 

[Poly Hive]

This has been on the go for years people.

Whether it is worth a go I have never bothered to find out, as already stated a serious faff about and as most beekeepers esp the beginners canna find queens its a bit academic hmm?

PH

 

[RoofTops]

It is a chemical free way of controlling varroa but a lot of work if you had several colonies. The main issue is getting the timing right, in the same way as a shook swarm. If you do it say 6 weeks to a month or so before your main honey flow then you will lose a lot of the foragers that would otherwsie have matured just in time for the flow. But if you have a varroa basket case and don't want to use chemicals, for example, because of supers in place, then it does have its place in the beekeepers tool set.

 

[oliver90owner]

I made one (after a visit to a main supplier) early on in my beekeeping, but never actually needed/used it. I managed to keep the little demons at reasonable levels without resorting to losing a lot of brood and anyway, changed to 14 x 12s immediately after, so it was the wrong sized frame. Never bothered since, but as it seems to be a triple brood cycle job, I wouldn't want to discard that much brood, if alternatives are available.

A/S and treat both halves seems an all-round better bet, if they are that badly infested.

Regards, RAB

 

[Haughton Honey]

Personally, I'd rather just shook swarm colonies with a problem. Far easier and they build back up again quickly if done in mid to late April (assuming one isn't going for an OSR crop).

 

[Gardenbees]

Personally, I'd rather just shook swarm colonies with a problem. Far easier and they build back up again quickly if done in mid to late April (assuming one isn't going for an OSR crop).

Yes - that would be my reaction. I posted the link because it's something our local BKA has been talking about lately.

Like RAB, I have fortunately managed to keep varroa pretty low so far (zero counts for most of last year), but it's always interesting to hear how people deal with a bad infestation: there's no ideal solution. I'm attracted to non-chemical solution, but the queen trapping approach did sound rather a nuisance. And you would have to be convinced that the loss of brood would outweigh the losses from the mites.