swarms and varroa

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Heather

Queen Bee
Joined
Dec 7, 2008
Messages
4,131
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128
Location
Newick, East Sussex
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
6
Opinions please.

Swarms collected this May/June should have arrived with limited varroa. I have been advised that they dont need treating now with Apiguard, then Oxalic/Lactic in Dec. This makes sense and I don't like to overload the colony unnecessarily with treatments
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Should I do treatment now and evaluate. If I leave treatment till broodless (ish) in Dec I may have a weakened colony that needed intervention

Or do I leave alone entirely till next year.
 
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ofcourse swarms need handling, at least in December.
i have many swarms and they have too much mites. The colony lives over winter but next summer it will be in piss.
 
I had a nuc in June, and after an inspection last month was told to treat urgently in August. Bees had wing damage and obvious abnormalities in the brood box...
 
Maybe a treatment now will help me estimate problem.
I am having very little drop so far from established hives and Apilife Var - hope it is low varroa -not ineffective treatment
 
Ditto, just posted here - checked first 2 week treatment drop and only 1 mite...but I know I have lots...
 
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I did a shook swarm on a colony in early April and by the end of May there were bees with deformed wings. I treated with formic acid and hundred of mites fell out. This taught me that swarms can have mites.
 
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