Summer varroa treatments?

[simon kerr]

I am wanting to treat my colonies for varroa next month. I have never treated them mid season, any advice would be apprciated or recommendations as to the correct product to use which will not harm the colonies or taint the honey?

Thanks all

 

[Baggyone]

Whats the state of play with the hives as of THIS moment in time? The weather is shocking so may be a good time to get an apiguard treatment in, but if you have supers on then everything will be tainted. Oxalic acid will knock the mites off the bees but not in the brood.

Baggy

 

[hiveabee]

I have found that varrogaurd powder very good and it can used when supers are on.

 

[simon kerr]

I have four colonies all queenright, only two require treatment.

One with super partially capped.
One with super uncapped.

Simon.

 

[richardbees]

Simon

I suggest you put a 'shallow frame' of foundation in the brood box. The bees will turn the space underneath into a Drone factory ...which will attract all the varroa mites. After a few weeks, when the drone brood is sealed, remove it and put on a white surface then open to see how many of the V you've caught!

 

[hiveabee]

Simon

I suggest you put a 'shallow frame' of foundation in the brood box. The bees will turn the space underneath into a Drone factory ...which will attract all the varroa mites. After a few weeks, when the drone brood is sealed, remove it and put on a white surface then open to see how many of the V you've caught!

And is this then ok to repeat and put the frame of drone brood in the freezer to kill everything, and then put it back in the hive for the bees to clean them up and start drone rearing again so it can attract more mites?

 

[richardbees]

Hiveabee, You'll find they raise normal worker brood in the shallow frame of foundation and free comb drone brood in the space underneath.

You wait 'til this drone brood is all capped then remove it - put the shallow/super frame of worker brood back into the hive for the bees to hatch.

 

[Luminos]

Hiveabee, You'll find they raise normal worker brood in the shallow frame of foundation and free comb drone brood in the space underneath.

You wait 'til this drone brood is all capped then remove it - put the shallow/super frame of worker brood back into the hive for the bees to hatch.

I've been advised to try this

 

[hiveabee]

Hiveabee, You'll find they raise normal worker brood in the shallow frame of foundation and free comb drone brood in the space underneath.

You wait 'til this drone brood is all capped then remove it - put the shallow/super frame of worker brood back into the hive for the bees to hatch.

Thanks for that

 

[itma]

Bob Smith has lectured that the "June Gap" (if you have one) is a good time to do a shook swarm. And that it is a very effective control, especially if combined with an attack on the 'phoretic' mites carried on the bees. Oxalic or even dusting would be effective, but Bob Smith's preference seems to be to use 'brood trapping' as per FERA's "Managing Varroa" leaflet - it is a free download if you don't already have it and is full of good info.

I've used 'VarroaGard' and it seems to be helpful.
The instructions say a tray of the powder can be placed inside the hive entrance at any time, even while crop supers are in place.

 

[BBG]

"Beekeeping is like the public swimming pool – all the noise is at the shallow end!"

Click on above for alternative method.

 

[mbc]

Bob Smith has lectured that the "June Gap" (if you have one) is a good time to do a shook swarm. And that it is a very effective control, especially if combined with an attack on the 'phoretic' mites carried on the bees. Oxalic or even dusting would be effective, but Bob Smith's preference seems to be to use 'brood trapping' as per FERA's "Managing Varroa" leaflet - it is a free download if you don't already have it and is full of good info.

I've used 'VarroaGard' and it seems to be helpful.
The instructions say a tray of the powder can be placed inside the hive entrance at any time, even while crop supers are in place.

I think Bob Smith must have shares in foundation making companies and Tate and Lyle, or possibly he's trying to make sure the opposition gets no honey so he can corner the market.

 

[BBG]

I think Bob Smith must have shares in foundation making companies and Tate and Lyle, or possibly he's trying to make sure the opposition gets no honey so he can corner the market.

At least it ensures the bees don't make honey in a toilet; although some foundation looks B awful even when new.

 

[mbc]

At least it ensures the bees don't make honey in a toilet

??
I've heard this before by someone denigrating Warre hives, saying the honey is stored in old brood comb which the last emerging brood would have pooed in, is that what you're getting at ?
If so, it displays a lack of understanding of bee behaviour as they are fastidiously hygienic on a microscopic level about storing honey (compared to humans that is).

 

[BBG]

??
I've heard this before by someone denigrating Warre hives, saying the honey is stored in old brood comb which the last emerging brood would have pooed in, is that what you're getting at ?
If so, it displays a lack of understanding of bee behaviour as they are fastidiously hygienic on a microscopic level about storing honey (compared to humans that is).

That's a very big jump!

Where in this:

"At least it ensures the bees don't make honey in a toilet; although some foundation looks B awful even when new. "

does it refer to what you are saying??

Don't forget to put the "Not suitable for infants under 12 months old on your labels. (Due to microscopic bacteria possibly killing infants under 12 months old!)

"Beekeeping is like the public swimming pool – all the noise is at the shallow end!"

 

[mbc]

but where does "honey in a toilet" come from ?

 

[BBG]

You are really going to have to read my post until it becomes clear.

Unless you're spoiling for a contre-temps!

 

[oliver90owner]

but where does "honey in a toilet" come from ?

mbc,

If it's any consolation, you are not alone!

RAB

 

[thorn]

You are really going to have to read my post until it becomes clear.

Unless you're spoiling for a contre-temps!

I understood it to mean that you believe that they defecate in the frames too. Do you just mean that older frames can look or become dirty?

 

[BBG]

Originally Posted by mbc View Post
I think Bob Smith must have shares in foundation making companies and Tate and Lyle, or possibly he's trying to make sure the opposition gets no honey so he can corner the market."

"At least it ensures the bees don't make honey in a toilet; although some foundation looks B awful even when new.

Moving forward??

Separately



BTW - extraction from brood comb is not recommended - Fera somewhere.