Question on Varroa drop levels

[Bienenwachs]

Hi all, I found this diagram in the NBU pamphlet on Managing Varroa:

Could anyone shed some light on the reason why it is acceptable to have such a relatively high drop level in November before having to treat. I’m guessing it could be something to do with the reduction of brood and the increase in phoretic mites before the colony has gone into cluster but would appreciate a more experienced view.

I’ve got a high drop of this order in one of my colonies and I’m thinking about vaping them now rather than waiting to do an oxalic trickle later in winter as a result but I wouldn’t need to rush (panic?) if such an increase is normal as the graph suggests.

 

[Beefriendly]

Many of us have found that natural mite drops are a very inaccurate way of determining true varroa levels.
I would ignore that graph. It doesn't even take into account colony size.
Go for sugar or alcohol rolling if you want a better indication of varroa levels

 

[Bienenwachs]

Many of us have found that natural mite drops are a very inaccurate way of determining true varroa levels.
I would ignore that graph. It doesn't even take into account colony size.
Go for sugar or alcohol rolling if you want a better indication of varroa levels

Thanks, I’ve just read how to do that from the Dave Cushman website. Not a technique for this time of year I’m guessing ...

 

[Courty]

I fell foul of not treating because the mite fall was low, it suddenly increased dramatically in October and there was a sudden appearance of DWV.
I treated with apivar strips and the mite drop now is massive. It’s good that the strips are working but the more numbers were clearly much much higher than the natural drop suggested.
There are lots of dead DWV bees being removed from the hive, I don’t know if they will survive the winter after such a heavy knock.
I only have one hive, it is my first.
I’ll learn from it and use better methods in future.

Courty

 

[Beefriendly]

The answer to varroa is very simple. Treat every year whether you think they need it or not. I worm my cat regularly every 6 months whether he has worms or not.
Too much crap talked about "only treat if they need treating" or "only treat when varroa numbers are high".
As many will attests to the drop count onto boards should be binned as next to useless for assessing actual varroa numbers.

 

[madasafish]

Some bees exhibit hygienic behaviour and remove dead mites from the hive.. so mite drops can be a measure of that characteristic - and that only.

 

[Eyeman]

I fell foul of not treating because the mite fall was low, it suddenly increased dramatically in October and there was a sudden appearance of DWV.
I treated with apivar strips and the mite drop now is massive. It’s good that the strips are working but the more numbers were clearly much much higher than the natural drop suggested.
There are lots of dead DWV bees being removed from the hive, I don’t know if they will survive the winter after such a heavy knock.
I only have one hive, it is my first.
I’ll learn from it and use better methods in future.

Courty

When I ask the question how many use insert boards to monitor mite numbers all hands go up. When I ask how many always make them sticky and average the drop over counts all hands go down!

 

[Beefriendly]

When I ask the question how many use insert boards to monitor mite numbers all hands go up. When I ask how many always make them sticky and average the drop over counts all hands go down!

Just about everybody's hands would go down.
What do you mean by drop over counts?

Shirley; you must mean average the drop over days sampled????
As many of us have found that drop counts are an inaccurate method of assessing varroa numbers; one has to ask why you are still persisting with it?

 

[Eyeman]

Just about everybody's hands would go down.
What do you mean by drop over counts?

Shirley; you must mean average the drop over days sampled????
As many of us have found that drop counts are an inaccurate method of assessing varroa numbers; one has to ask why you are still persisting with it?

Yes typo
Just trying to point out if you don't follow the instructions the results are going to be even more unreliable.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

I fell foul of not treating because the mite fall was low, it suddenly increased dramatically in October and there was a sudden appearance of DWV.
I treated with apivar strips and the mite drop now is massive. It’s good that the strips are working but the more numbers were clearly much much higher than the natural drop suggested.
There are lots of dead DWV bees being removed from the hive, I don’t know if they will survive the winter after such a heavy knock.
I only have one hive, it is my first.
I’ll learn from it and use better methods in future.

Courty

Dangerous to rely on just one hive

 

[ShinySideUp]

The answer to varroa is very simple. Treat every year whether you think they need it or not. I worm my cat regularly every 6 months whether he has worms or not.
Too much crap talked about "only treat if they need treating" or "only treat when varroa numbers are high".

I agree. Just treat but rotate treatments just in case of resistance.