Spring treatment?

[Murox]

I don't test for it usually treat August and Dec. How do you test?

I sugar roll test after any August/September treatment, use oxalic as a mop up as needed and in the winter. Then will test around April (weather is cooler up here) and if needs be use oxalic.
But my point was simply that I only treat when its needed rather than prophylactically.

 

[Murox]

I guess at this time of the year testing is a bit challenging other than by giving a OS blast and checking the drops?

I wouldn't be testing or blasting at this time of year.

 

[jeff33]

I wouldn't be testing or blasting at this time of year.

Mine are done end of December usually and start again in June when hives are at their strongest.

 

[Nannysbees]

I sugar roll test after any August/September treatment, use oxalic as a mop up as needed and in the winter. Then will test around April (weather is cooler up here) and if needs be use oxalic.
But my point was simply that I only treat when its needed rather than prophylactically.

Interesting to hear how different beekeepers treat. We are in our fourth year of having bees . Every August when we have treated numbers of varroa are high. Total drop of two of the hives after apigusrd or oxalic have been over 1000. It would be interesting to know how low everybody's numbers get so they don't have to treat

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Interesting to hear how different beekeepers treat. We are in our fourth year of having bees . Every August when we have treated numbers of varroa are high. Total drop of two of the hives after apigusrd or oxalic have been over 1000. It would be interesting to know how low everybody's numbers get so they don't have to treat

Big difference in using the varroa ready reckoner to calculate mite numbers counting natural mortality drop compared to during/after miticide treatment. The ready reckoner is geared for natural drop so if you use it during treatment it doesn't really tell you much as it just grossly exaggerates the mite infestation.
The only thing counting during treatment can tell you is how many mites you've killed.

 

[Murox]

Interesting to hear how different beekeepers treat. We are in our fourth year of having bees . Every August when we have treated numbers of varroa are high. Total drop of two of the hives after apigusrd or oxalic have been over 1000. It would be interesting to know how low everybody's numbers get so they don't have to treat

Here is something to toy with - when I first kept bee up here there were only three other known keepers with a 10 mile range or more. Now there are around 5 more within 5-8 miles. My varroa load appears to have risen inline with the additional hives in the general area. No proof of course and it might be a figment of my imagination, or I might just be breeding varroa.
Luckily the varroa numbers I do see are low in my hives which are kept in 3's and not close together.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Once spring is here and the forage is good , I select a nice warmish day and all colonies get a sugar roll. Simply dissolve the remnant sugar in abit of water and count any mites.
The Abelo cup has a fill line for the bees so one doesn't go too mad by over filling.
I use and older honey bucket to shake the bees from the comb into to collect my cup of bees.

I can’t imagine sugar rolling lots of colonies

Big difference in using the varroa ready reckoner to calculate mite numbers counting natural mortality drop compared to during/after miticide treatment. The ready reckoner is geared for natural drop so if you use it during treatment it doesn't really tell you much as it just grossly exaggerates the mite infestation.
The only thing counting during treatment can tell you is how many mites you've killed.

doesnt treatment first dose if administered right kill 20% of varroa ( brood present)

 

[Nannysbees]

Here is something to toy with - when I first kept bee up here there were only three other known keepers with a 10 mile range or more. Now there are around 5 more within 5-8 miles. My varroa load appears to have risen inline with the additional hives in the general area. No proof of course and it might be a figment of my imagination, or I might just be breeding varroa.
Luckily the varroa numbers I do see are low in my hives which are kept in 3's and not close together.

Yes that is interesting

 

[markb2603]

Does anyone use a Varroa Easy check to check for Varroa numbers? I assume provided you don’t overdo it with the CO2 they are unharmed and back at it shortly after.

https://www.thorne.co.uk/health-fee...nd-disease-non-chemical/varroa-easycheck.html

 

[Moobee]

Interesting to hear how different beekeepers treat. We are in our fourth year of having bees . Every August when we have treated numbers of varroa are high. Total drop of two of the hives after apigusrd or oxalic have been over 1000. It would be interesting to know how low everybody's numbers get so they don't have to treat

I’ve had some huge variations. Two hives next to each other, one dropping several hundred per day after treatment, the other barely a dozen. This hive was displaying signs of hygienic behaviour (ie cell uncapping & brood removal).

 

[Moobee]

Here is something to toy with - when I first kept bee up here there were only three other known keepers with a 10 mile range or more. Now there are around 5 more within 5-8 miles. My varroa load appears to have risen inline with the additional hives in the general area. No proof of course and it might be a figment of my imagination, or I might just be breeding varroa.
Luckily the varroa numbers I do see are low in my hives which are kept in 3's and not close together.

 

[Swarm]

I’ve had some huge variations. Two hives next to each other, one dropping several hundred per day after treatment, the other barely a dozen. This hive was displaying signs of hygienic behaviour (ie cell uncapping & brood removal).

Raise queens from your low drop colony and requeen the high drop colony.

 

[user 819]

Does anyone use a Varroa Easy check to check for Varroa numbers? I assume provided you don’t overdo it with the CO2 they are unharmed and back at it shortly after.

https://www.thorne.co.uk/health-fee...nd-disease-non-chemical/varroa-easycheck.html

Not to dissimilar to the abelo varroa checker in it's use , except the abelo doesn't refer to killing bees with alcohol or windscreen wash.

 

[Moobee]

Raise queens from your low drop colony and requeen the high drop colony.

Have lost both this winter so it’s a moot point

 

[Swarm]

Oh, that's sad. Sorry to hear that, Moobee.