Too cold to treat my bees?

[Norman Matthews]

I only have the one hive, which is probably a mistake, but seemed prudent financially at the time.

Things we’re going well initially having expanded a nuc in to the hive. Then I eventually realised that I had lost the queen. The bees managed to produce a new queen, but numbers wise at October time I would say the colony was a little weak.

I treated for varroa in September. My question is should I treat now with Oxalic or leave them in peace.

I had always imagined the last thing you would want to do is open the hive up when it’s cold.

Any advice would be welcome!

 

[Erichalfbee]

A trickle will take less than a minute. How did you treat in September ?

 

[Norman Matthews]

Apiguard Thymol end September / early October

 

[blackcloud]

Varroa are more harmful than a quick dose of cold air!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Then go ahead. Do it asap.

 

[Ian123]

Hi next year consider an earlier trickle or vape, back end of December early Jan is a good time for your oxalic treatments and hopefully catching the colony with no brood is the goal. Get all your equipment ready even the dose, simply pop the crown board and trickle. The bees won’t bat an eyelid, gently and smoothly is the goal. If your on a double brood if you can’t see the cluster in the top you’ll have to split the boxes.

 

[Norman Matthews]

Thanks everyone for your comments. The only remaining issue is where will the bees be? I didn’t take any honey though there was a fair bit. I removed the Qx and left them with a super on top of the brood box.

Why I didn’t any honey is another story….

 

[enrico]

Thanks everyone for your comments. The only remaining issue is where will the bees be? I didn’t take any honey though there was a fair bit. I removed the Qx and left them with a super on top of the brood box.

Why I didn’t any honey is another story….

They will be immediately below the stores that are left.put your ear to the side of top and bottom box. You will hear them! That may give you some idea.

 

[Ian123]

The only remaining issue is where will the bees be?

You’ll have to look the rest of us are just guessing

 

[Norman Matthews]

Cheers. Will lift the super and roof, treat the seams in the brood box and shut up shop.

 

[Ian123]

Cheers. Will lift the super and roof, treat the seams in the brood box and shut up shop.

Check you can’t see them below the crown board in the super first. It’s only worth breaking the boxes if you can’t see them

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cheers. Will lift the super and roof, treat the seams in the brood box and shut up shop.

don't touch the super, you don't want to risk disturbing the cluster - just look between the frames, find out where the cluster is and trickle.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I wouldn’t split boxes in case the cluster is split between them.

 

[pargyle]

don't touch the super, you don't want to risk disturbing the cluster - just look between the frames, find out where the cluster is and trickle.

Or better still .... invest in some kit to sublimate OA .., far kinder than trickling and you don'e have to worry where the bees are. A pan sublimator, mask and safety glasses should cost you less than £5O ...or a Gasvap .. a bit more - but you have it forever and you can dispense with the strips and trickling ....

 

[Ian123]

To be fair you won’t do any harm splitting the boxes or indeed the cluster, crack the box hinge it back trickle and close. Cluster is back in place in seconds, well it is if you do it right! As above though there’s better methods now and a vaping equipment should be part of your long term kit.

 

[magor]

i wouldnt disturb the cluster for any reason and also cluster means the drug substance wont spread around as it should

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's the queen I would be worried about

 

[hemo]

Before opening if you are on a mesh floor fit the insert for acouple of days or so and then look to see where the seams are on the tray, one hopefully will see some detritus seams from brood cappings and stores cappings.

 

[Xander]

Good morning Norman, I was in a similar position to you a couple of months ago. I treated with apivar late on and wasn't sure if it would be too cold to open up to remove the strips but I was reassured after asking the same question and it turned out they were clustered and very docile. I think I only lost one bee!
I bought an oxalic vaporiser on Amazon for £25 and vaped on 20th, 25th and 30th Dec.
Mite drop was zero.
My "main hive" is doing just fine and even the queen I banked in a 3 frame nuc in late September is still going strong.
As regards splitting the cluster lifting the super I'd be worried about damaging the queen of she's too sluggish to get out of the way when you put it down, there may be a lump of brace comb or something might trap her, hence vaping seems to be the answer.

 

[Ian123]

Good morning Norman, I was in a similar position to you a couple of months ago. I treated with apivar late on and wasn't sure if it would be too cold to open up to remove the strips but I was reassured after asking the same question and it turned out they were clustered and very docile. I think I only lost one bee!
I bought an oxalic vaporiser on Amazon for £25 and vaped on 20th, 25th and 30th Dec.
Mite drop was zero.
My "main hive" is doing just fine and even the queen I banked in a 3 frame nuc in late September is still going strong.
As regards splitting the cluster lifting the super I'd be worried about damaging the queen of she's too sluggish to get out of the way when you put it down, there may be a lump of brace comb or something might trap her, hence vaping seems to be the answer.

Hi Rob….A single vape at that time would have been sufficient and it’s all that’s recommended. You only do multiple for periods of brood rearing to catch mites in cells, hope that helps.