Sudden huge mite drop!?

[Swarm]

Robbing a weak hive elsewhere? Mangum demonstrated this could lead to about 75 mites per day being acquired by a colony.

Hello Fatshark, yes that's something that's been considered but an excess of 7,000 mites in total? That's only the ones who dropped and still dropping at a huge rate. All the other colonies are normal. It's like all the varroa at the apiary have migrated to one hive.

 

[Beefriendly]

Thoughs vary from the initial mite population is so huge it's beyond the capacity of the OA vaporization or the vaporization is inefficient. We take the 97% kill rate from a series of experiments on relatively moderately/low single brood box hives.
In my instance we are dealing with a large colony sat in 2 brood boxes Sublimoxed with approx 3.5gms from above.
But we got there in the end...just hope the bees survive...they are my last pure Amm colony.

 

[madasafish]

Thoughs vary from the initial mite population is so huge it's beyond the capacity of the OA vaporization or the vaporization is inefficient. We take the 97% kill rate from a series of experiments on relatively moderately/low single brood box hives.
In my instance we are dealing with a large colony sat in 2 brood boxes Sublimoxed with approx 3.5gms from above.
But we got there in the end...just hope the bees survive...they are my last pure Amm colony.

In the interests of stirring the excrement from another thread,I thought AMM were the answer to every question on bees?

 

[JWF]

That’s what I put it down to but so many people have told me it’s not so likely over a prolonged six week period. Looking at the number of neglected boxes around me I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s exactly what they were doing

If there are untreated hives around you now is the time they'll be falling over as the mites have been competing for a smaller and smaller amount of brood as the colony size reduces.

If one of your colonies has a taste for robbing then they'll have a field day.

Out of interest, how heavy is the affected hive? Is it any different to your other colonies?

 

[Beefriendly]

[/B]I thought AMM were the answer to every question on bees?

I didn't mention it previously as I figured what type of response it would have generated. I don't think there being Amm's has anything to do with their varroa load, the F1's are fine. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it at all.
As ITTLD says when the red mist descends and reason flies out of the matchstick propped open crown board......

 

[Swarm]

Carried out first round of OAV today after putting the boards in yesterday. From seven hives, there were three that had a natural drop count of 6-15 and the other four were clear.
Vaped without blocking the entrances due to traffic and lost none from the UFE's so that was a bonus.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Carried out first round of OAV today after putting the boards in yesterday. From seven hives, there were three that had a natural drop count of 6-15 and the other four were clear.
Vaped without blocking the entrances due to traffic and lost none from the UFE's so that was a bonus.

That’s interesting. I always have to block the UFE as I lose lots of vapour.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If one of your colonies has a taste for robbing then they'll have a field day.

Out of interest, how heavy is the affected hive? Is it any different to your other colonies?

Heavy. Had to takeframes out so queen had room

 

[Swarm]

That’s interesting. I always have to block the UFE as I lose lots of vapour.

I remember you mentioned it before. I had some vapour squeezing through the foam I blocked the rear with but all good besides and saved time.

 

[Millet]

I remember you mentioned it before. I had some vapour squeezing through the foam I blocked the rear with but all good besides and saved time.

Same here, i have lost no vapour from the front just from the slot at the back if i don't stick a rag in.