Varroa control

[Ziggymole]

I tried putting this in the "idiots" thread but got no answers! It's an idiotic question I'm sure but I really would like to know how you control varroa in a Warre hive?

 

[Brosville]

You leave them alone to do it themselves!
I have a Warre into it's third year with no problems whatsoever - I'd suggest reading up about the hives, and particularly "nesduftwärmebindung" - David Heaf's book on the subject is excellent, if a touch pricey.
The thing that many different management methods all round the globe have in common that report little or no varroa problems is a brood nest that isn't forever hauled apart (preserving nestduftwärmebindung), and running with no foundation so they can build whatever size of comb they desire...........

"Control" is a bit of a dirty word in this context, and assumes that we can and should control every aspect of their lives, I'm of the view that the bees know a damn sight better than me........... I have heard it said that you don't need to operate on a kitten to find out if it's healthy...........

 

[Ziggymole]

Thanks Brosville,
this is what I'd been led to believe and I'd hoped to start my hive next season with a swarm, however I've read a couple of times this year about swarms "crawling" with varroa and to use your analogy to kittens, if I start with a flea or worm ridden kitten then without some form of treatment initially that's what I'll always have.
Jan

 

[Brosville]

I've never had a problem in that direction, it is very hard at times not to be swayed by the "treat all the time" school of thought - if you are worried, give them a good dusting of icing sugar when you hive them, to induce a good "scratch" to get rid of the varroa

 

[Ziggymole]

Thankyou Brosville, I'll do that. You know the worst part about waiting for something is all the worrying you can do in the meantime without any basis in fact. WHAT IF? Are two words I'm fed up with now, but at least it's making me consider my descision fully.

Thanks again
JAn

 

[Little John]

If you find yourself with some time to spare, suggest you do a YouTube search for Don, the 'FatBeeMan'.
Don Kuchenmeister is a professional Beekeeper with several thousand hives to look after, and has been running small-cell organic hives for around 50 years, and doesn't have any Varroa problems. If there is a small outbreak, then he quickly kills it with smoke from mineral oil (what we would call Liquid Paraffin BP), and/or several essential oils.

He has something like 48 uploaded YouTube videos, all of which contain one gem of knowledge or another - with complete absence of bovine excretion.

 

[Finman]

and has been running small-cell organic hives for around 50 years, and doesn't have any Varroa problems..

Varroa has been in Europe about 25 years. That small cell system has been convinced to be false in scientic researches.

I have seen in my life "organic beekeeping" enough 40 years ago. Their yiled was 10-15 kg when mine was 50-60 kg.

I nursed hives with bicycle. Is it orcanic? May I use grease in chains or mere rust?

I studied biology in university. Should I forget the science. I stay away from organic beekeeping as fas as I can.

 

[Ziggymole]

Thanks for the tip Little John.
It's pouring with rain and blowing a gale, the cat is snuggled for warmth beside me and my boys are home to keep me supplied with coffee. I can't see a lot of housework being done today

Jan

 

[Little John]

I studied biology in university. Should I forget the science. I stay away from organic beekeeping as fas as I can.

Such passion ...

Well, I hold several higher degrees from English universities (including a first in Biological Sciences), and yet I still find that I am able to listen with an open mind to someone who has 50 years experience as a commercial organic beekeeper. It's not as if this guy is some kind of stoned hippy promoting an idealistic organic agenda - you'd be pretty pushed to find a more pragmatic individual.

He uses 'organic' (undefined) methods because he has found that they work, and work well, and his methods are proving successful at a time when so-called colony collapse disorder and other misfortunes are affecting those who choose to use patented medicines.

"The proof of the pudding", as they say, "is in the eating".

 

[Little John]

It's pouring with rain and blowing a gale, the cat is snuggled for warmth beside me and my boys are home to keep me supplied with coffee. I can't see a lot of housework being done today

Jan

Hi Jan

same in Lincolnshire. It's blowing a hoolie today, and raining, as it was yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that ...

We did have one fine day, and a few dozen scouts came over then and checked-out my bait hive, and have been trapped here ever since by the weather. I'm giving them some 1:1 whilst they are trapped 'indoors'.

Hope they don't forget where they've come from !

"Housework" ? - errrr, remind me ...

'best, L.J.

 

[newportbuzz]

a club member tried the leave alone method on a warre hive and while it looked encouraging at the begining it soon started to look quite bad with dwv seen and lots of varroa spoted so he treated with apiguard which he was able to use in the warre hive he made. now this may not be possibly for you.
i understand he made a few ekes and put theses inbetween the boxes to hold the trays. depends totaly how warre your warre hive is. but since apiguard works on fumes as long as you can accomadate the tray somewhere high in the hive you should be able to treat if you feel you want to. (think the fumes fall)

 

[aberreef]

Hive shape shouldn't really matter. You can treat with all the same treatments, you just need to adapt slightly

 

[Ziggymole]

Am I right in thinking that an eke is a spacer or adapter?

Jan

 

[newportbuzz]

yup eke is a spacer. he made his the same foot print of the hive and added one per box. if you look up apiguard eke you will find some photos its just a matter of making them the right size for your hive.

 

[Ziggymole]

Thanks for that - sometimes educated guesses can be way off base.
I think it might be worth my while making up an eke or two anyway for jobs like clearing the top box prior to extraction. It may not be quite what Warre had in mind but a bit of poaching ideas from one system to another can't be bad if it suits me and the bees. I'm trying to go into this with an open mind and want to try it "according to Warre" first but I'd rather treat for varroa if I need to than leave my bees suffer and or die.

 

[newportbuzz]

you would need something more like a clearer board to be able to clear the bees for harvest..
an eke will just create a space above your topbars and below the combs above to hold your treatment tray.

 

[Ziggymole]

Hmm - see what I mean about guesses. I'll hope we get to use some of these wonderful sounding items on the course I'm on.

 

[Finman]

.
One professional guy is selling now here organic queens.
He is not stupid who asks. but he is who pays.