Saw my first varroa mite today

[MonicaB]

Hi All,
Today was a challenging day. I discovered a large wasps nest at the foot of one of my hives. And I think I need to deal with it quickly.
something I am far more concerned with is that I spotted a varroa mite. I need to research the ways of treating for varroa. I know it’s controversial and tbh I’m not surewhat the next step should be? Determining the load by adding the varroa floor? Or actually some kind of treatment sooner rather than later.
Any advice is very much appreciated.

 

[Swarm]

Horrible aren't they? It breaks my heart to think of these disgusting little creatures sapping the life from the colony.
Personally, if I am seeing mites, I would remove the supers and treat.
Forget trying to assess your load, if you can see them it's too big and needs to be addressed immediately.

 

[MonicaB]

Horrible aren't they? It breaks my heart to think of these disgusting little creatures sapping the life from the colony.
Personally, if I am seeing mites, I would remove the supers and treat.
Forget trying to assess your load, if you can see them it's too big and needs to be addressed immediately.

Thank you. What do you treat with?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thank you. What do you treat with?

I'm a great fan of Oxalic sublimation and have been doing it for 9 years. If you're a member of your local BKA there might be a member with some kit to do it, otherwise Apiguard is easy enough....from the usual suppliers.
If you have time these lectures are really worth listening to Aficionados of oxalic sublimation

The Americans have legalised OAV with supers on and there is a really good explanation of why it doesn't matter if they are on.

 

[StephenT]

If you don’t want to take the plunge on OA sublimation just yet, use Apiguard or Apistan. Apiguard is probably the more commonly used one by beginners and there’s plenty of literature out there on how to use it best.

 

[MonicaB]

I'm a great fan of Oxalic sublimation and have been doing it for 9 years. If you're a member of your local BKA there might be a member with some kit to do it, otherwise Apiguard is easy enough....from the usual suppliers.
If you have time these lectures are really worth listening to Aficionados of oxalic sublimation

The Americans have legalised OAV with supers on and there is a really good explanation of why it doesn't matter if they are on.

That’s great thanks, I’ll look into Apiguard, I’ve heard about it.

 

[MonicaB]

If you don’t want to take the plunge on OA sublimation just yet, use Apiguard or Apistan. Apiguard is probably the more commonly used one by beginners and there’s plenty of literature out there on how to use it best.

Great thanks I’ll start reading up on it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not apistan. Most mites are resistant

 

[MonicaB]

Not apistan. Most mites are resistant

Ah good to know thanks. I’m worried about harming the bees.

 

[Ian123]

I would suggest apivar for ease and reliability. Ian

 

[StephenT]

Not apistan. Most mites are resistant

I meant to write Apivar, not Apistan. Used Apivar last year and found it easy to use and effective.

 

[pargyle]

You really need to be checking for varroa infestation .. if you have just seen one mite on one bee it may not be as bad as has been suggested ... if you have seen mites on several bees it may well be very late to be treating the colon - they can go down very quickly if they are seriously infested with mites.

The inspection board is notoriously inaccurate and a very unreliable way of checking the varroa levels. The best method (and it does not harm the bees) is a sugar roll. I've been doing these for years with an old style kilner jar with the metal disc in the lid replaced with a bit of varroa mesh. Last year I invested in a bit of kit to replace my old jar and I have to say ... it works well - I should have got one years ago.

Have a look at this video and seriously .,. you should start and do some sugar rolls. You will find that the count varies - keep a check ... you want it as low as you can get it prior to going into winter so if they are infested to any great extent you need to treat them.

I don't treat but I keep a very close eye on varroa levels and sugar rolls are part of my regular beekeeping.

 

[MonicaB]

You really need to be checking for varroa infestation .. if you have just seen one mite on one bee it may not be as bad as has been suggested ... if you have seen mites on several bees it may well be very late to be treating the colon - they can go down very quickly if they are seriously infested with mites.

The inspection board is notoriously inaccurate and a very unreliable way of checking the varroa levels. The best method (and it does not harm the bees) is a sugar roll. I've been doing these for years with an old style kilner jar with the metal disc in the lid replaced with a bit of varroa mesh. Last year I invested in a bit of kit to replace my old jar and I have to say ... it works well - I should have got one years ago.

Have a look at this video and seriously .,. you should start and do some sugar rolls. You will find that the count varies - keep a check ... you want it as low as you can get it prior to going into winter so if they are infested to any great extent you need to treat them.

I don't treat but I keep a very close eye on varroa levels and sugar rolls are part of my regular beekeeping.

Great thanks so much for the video. I saw one mite and it was walking on the comb. I’ll aim to do a sugar roll and take it from there. Interesting that you don’t treat.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would suggest apivar for ease and reliability. Ian

For the time being at least.

 

[Anthony Appleyard]

... I spotted a varroa mite. I need to research the ways of treating for varroa. I know it’s controversial and tbh I’m not surewhat the next step should be? Determining the load by adding the varroa floor? Or actually some kind of treatment sooner rather than later. Any advice is very much appreciated.

I read about an inherited habit spreading among bees of cleaning varroa off themselves, and someone wrote that his bees habitually bit the legs off varroa mites. When proportion of bees have these useful inherited habits? How much are those inherited habits spreading by one beekeeper's drones mating with another beekeeper's virgin queens on their mating flights?

 

[ericbeaumont]

That’s great thanks, I’ll look into Apiguard, I’ve heard about it.

Have a look at ApiLifeVar, Monica. It works like Apiguard by fumigation but is a biscuit that lies in pieces on top bars and so dispenses with the need for an eke, which you'll need to fit around the Apiguard tray; ALV has the bonus of organic accreditation.

Resistance to chemicals such as Amitraz (ingredient of Apivar and Apitraz) or fluvalinate (Apistan) is transitory: rotate treatments in three-year cycles.

Resistance saps mite energy and reduces efficiency of reproduction, so it'll abandon resistance and will be susceptible again.

 

[MonicaB]

Have a look at ApiLifeVar, Monica. It works like Apiguard by fumigation but is a biscuit that lies in pieces on top bars and so dispenses with the need for an eke, which you'll need to fit around the Apiguard tray; ALV has the bonus of organic accreditation.

Resistance to chemicals such as Amitraz (ingredient of Apivar and Apitraz) or fluvalinate (Apistan) is transitory: rotate treatments in three-year cycles.

Resistance saps mite energy and reduces efficiency of reproduction, so it'll abandon resistance and will be susceptible again.

That sounds promising, thanks for posting I’ll check it out. I’m going to do the sugar roll and see where I am.

 

[StephenT]

Have a look at ApiLifeVar, Monica. It works like Apiguard by fumigation but is a biscuit that lies in pieces on top bars and so dispenses with the need for an eke, which you'll need to fit around the Apiguard tray; ALV has the bonus of organic accreditation.

Resistance to chemicals such as Amitraz (ingredient of Apivar and Apitraz) or fluvalinate (Apistan) is transitory: rotate treatments in three-year cycles.

Resistance saps mite energy and reduces efficiency of reproduction, so it'll abandon resistance and will be susceptible again.

I used Apivar last year and so planned to rotate this year and use Apiguard. Will check out ApiLifeVar. Have you used it before Eric and if so, how did you find its effectiveness?

 

[ericbeaumont]

how did you find its effectiveness?

It does the job well.

In my first few years I put boards in and the ALV drops were shocking for the following fortnight: gave up counting once I got to 800.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Apilife Var and Apiguard are both based on Thymol. However Apilife Var is easier to use and similarly effective. I used to buy large tubs of Apiguard as it was cheaper than the single use foil packs but now its not available in those tubs for some strange reason, so Apilife Var is preferable to me.
Oxalic Acid sublimation needs protective equipment for the user as the fumes are nasty, as well as you need to buy a relatively expensive tool and battery, so I would not recommend it for someone with a few hives.