spring varroa treatment

[B+.]

this time of year, I would consider shook swarm in a couple of weeks. no chemical, clean new comb. finman will be here soon to tell me off. you can reuse the original comb after freezing.

The problem with your suggestion is that you'd be sacrificing the brood of a colony that desperately needs it. At this time of year the workers are quite old and probably won't last very long. If you destroy the brood, you're taking away the next generation. I wouldn't recommend this at all.

 

[Beefriendly]

A shook swarm is not something you want to be doing at this time of year, or at almost any other time of year for that matter (EFB treatment or possibly confirmed nosema excepted).

 

[Bakerbee]

Ah ok thanks ericA. I decided a bailey comb instead of shook to keep bee numbers up and be able to split when the queens arrive next month. Ive just finished and it went really well. Queen was most obliging found on first frame! I have fed them a 2 to 1 syrup as the rape is not quite out yet but all in all the hive looked strong. No visible varroa as i did treat with strips in autumn and trickled over christmas so fingers crossed i made the right choice. The reason i changed comb was the foundation was old when we got the hive and frames breaking apart when moving so thought we would start off with new hives, frames and foundation this year. With the two new queens.. there was a super on to see them over winter which came off today , yes a little over the top re feeding them this winter but as i only had one hive i did go ott to get them through. My timing was just right as she had just started to move up n lay in the super. Thanks for your input.