It might come as a timely reminder, for some, that regular mite drop checks are a good way to monitor varroa infestation progression.
I removed the under board from a Dartington today and apart from scraping off a lot of cappings, failed to find any mites among it. I have replaced it for about 3/4 days, after which time I will get a check on a relatively clean board.
My other hives will be monitored shortly.
So far it is looking good for very light infestation. They were treated with thymol last autumn (not a huge drop) and most certainly did not need oxalic acid treatment over the winter.
She is marked down as mother-to-be of most of my new queens for this year (docile, quiet on the frame, hygeinic, honey yield, laying pattern) and hopefully she will be around for next year too (so no oxalic for her!).
Most of her hatching foragers (and some of the flying bees, too) will shortly be added to other colonies as reinforcement for the coming flow. It may be a bit of a waste of a huge Dartington hive for her but it will hopefully be filled with stores later in the season...but she will not be even 'likely' to swarm.
I am particularly monitoring her daughters for 'hygeinic' behaviour, but all my colonies will be monitored regularly for mite drop - one result may be a bit random but several will hopefully indicate the trend and it costs me very little to do it (and this last winter it meant that oxalic acid was not required for any of my bees).
Results will be used to determine what treatment(s) may be required to keep the varroa mites in check throughout the year.
Regards, RAB
I removed the under board from a Dartington today and apart from scraping off a lot of cappings, failed to find any mites among it. I have replaced it for about 3/4 days, after which time I will get a check on a relatively clean board.
My other hives will be monitored shortly.
So far it is looking good for very light infestation. They were treated with thymol last autumn (not a huge drop) and most certainly did not need oxalic acid treatment over the winter.
She is marked down as mother-to-be of most of my new queens for this year (docile, quiet on the frame, hygeinic, honey yield, laying pattern) and hopefully she will be around for next year too (so no oxalic for her!).
Most of her hatching foragers (and some of the flying bees, too) will shortly be added to other colonies as reinforcement for the coming flow. It may be a bit of a waste of a huge Dartington hive for her but it will hopefully be filled with stores later in the season...but she will not be even 'likely' to swarm.
I am particularly monitoring her daughters for 'hygeinic' behaviour, but all my colonies will be monitored regularly for mite drop - one result may be a bit random but several will hopefully indicate the trend and it costs me very little to do it (and this last winter it meant that oxalic acid was not required for any of my bees).
Results will be used to determine what treatment(s) may be required to keep the varroa mites in check throughout the year.
Regards, RAB