Varroa checks - reminder

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oliver90owner

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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 have also been leaving the inserts in the OMF this spring, initially to aid them keep warm as the cold nights continue, but have found them very useful in checking whats going on inside from what drops, along with any mites.

Interestingly my local colony with local bees has no mite drop whatsoever, obviously this is great to see, long may it continue, but i would not have known had i removed the insert.
 
My OMF's aren't posh enough for inserts as they're made from old floors and mesh but I find a sheet of laminated light coloured card underneath does the job really well. I too have seen very little if any varroa, ( used with hiveclean not trad. oxalic.)
Cazza
 
My OMF's aren't posh enough for inserts as they're made from old floors and mesh but I find a sheet of laminated light coloured card underneath does the job really well. I too have seen very little if any varroa, ( used with hiveclean not trad. oxalic.)
Cazza

You need to keep your eye out for abandoned estate agents boards.......very useful source of corex. :)

Frisbee
 
Are the parties using Corex this year for the election campaign,some of those signs are massive and of no use after May 6th.
 
lol

Good idea though Mark, i wonder if anyone will notice when one morning they have all "Disappeared"

Shall we work shifts ?, could cover our areas in 1 night i reckon.
 
Cazza,

No excuse whatsoever! A correx sheet inserted inside the hive will do nicely. Needs one of those wire meshes just above and perhaps sticky fablon type stuff on the sheet. they can all be made to easily slide in and out a 22mm entrance. No need to be full width or even full depth. You will get reasonably equivalent readings.

I originally bought a test-tray affair from Th*rne. The plastic tray has disintegrated (must make a vacuum forming mould and make some more), but the wire mesh lives on. Easy once set up and, used regularly, may avoid getting caught out and finding deformed wing bees littering the hive.

Regards, RAB
 
Are the parties using Corex this year for the election campaign,some of those signs are massive and of no use after May 6th.
yep, all the parties are using corex in this area. ( don't know what the 'green party' use, they have no candidate here)
 

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