varroa controller

[Bitbybit]

I have just heard of the varroa controller - a heated box that kills varroa using thermal treatment without harming the brood and had a quick look on youtube. I checked back on old threads and found some comments - mainly that at 2k it was expensive and that it might be too time consuming for commercial beeks. I was wondering if anyone has any more experience with this machine or if prehaps any group or pest control company had purchased one and were offering its services (an opening for someone surely) It looks to me that over time this could be improved and become a vey effective tool against varroa, all early technology looks cumbersome after a number of years of improvement.

 

[BeeMoustashe]

As I understand it, and prepared to be robustly corrected here, a similar effect is achieved from shook swarming. The hive temp increases to such a level during fervent wax production that the mites can't tolerate the heat and die.

Cheaper than 2k lol

 

[beekeeping4you]

Hi Bitbybit,
Did you see the Varroa controller on YouTube only?
If yes, please let the community have a link if possible. I've seen it on their Austrian website (available in English) lately, not amusing, it takes ages per colony to steam the mites out of the frames...

In the meantime, your AVATAR is what I was waiting for, think I needed an excuse to post this:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWjyazIBcao&list=UUM6GMjuayptLCJHVpJzYyBA&index=6[/ame]

 

[beekeeping4you]

Got it:
Varroa treatment – a new perspective with hyperthermia?
http://www.varroa-controller.com/vc

As far as I know, this is a perspective which is at least 15 years old, first experiments were made with brood frames in modified fridges, but I never heard of someone really using this method for Varroa control, it only works on mites in capped brood and leaves phoretic mites unaffected

Regards,
Reiner

 

[Bitbybit]

Hi Reiner,
The time needed to kill the varroa would seem like a large problem especially for commercial beeks but this is probably something that could be improved in time. The link to youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8tQ3e6Yuqxs
Being from Cork I was inclined to say "I just can't do it" you have to love sminky shorts.

 

[rook66]

I have just heard of the varroa controller - a heated box that kills varroa using thermal treatment without harming the brood and had a quick look on youtube. I checked back on old threads and found some comments - mainly that at 2k it was expensive and that it might be too time consuming for commercial beeks. I was wondering if anyone has any more experience with this machine or if prehaps any group or pest control company had purchased one and were offering its services (an opening for someone surely) It looks to me that over time this could be improved and become a vey effective tool against varroa, all early technology looks cumbersome after a number of years of improvement.

This device is at least ten years old http://www.mitezapper.com/assets/images/Home_Bg20.jpg

If the link wont work, just google Mite Zapper

 

[simoncav]

I think you'll find that a super-insulated hive of the correct design could also get warm enough to greatly hinder Varroa mite reproduction...

 

[beekeeping4you]

Hi rook66,

This device is at least ten years old http://www.mitezapper.com/assets/images/Home_Bg20.jpg

The link worked...

Yes, you are right, the 'Mitezapper'was developed and tried by Zachary Huang about 10 years ago and intensively discussed on '[email protected]'. The earliest version was a frame for drone brood with wiring that could be heated thermostatically controlled to kill the drone pupae together with the varroa inside the sealed cells but not hot enough to melt down the wax, this was done while the device was still in the colony, no need to open the hive.
I think the bees were expected to open the cells and remove the contents, so that the queen could continue laying eggs in the frame...

The procedure was classified as one method of 'natural' or 'biological' varroa control, at least, today it could be called 'chemical free'.

Someone seems to have started a marketing campaign, you can get the latest version now from several suppliers in Germany and from Th..nes in the UK

Regards
Reiner

 

[Hivemaker.]

I think you'll find that a super-insulated hive of the correct design could also get warm enough to greatly hinder Varroa mite reproduction...

And abandon open mesh floors, although varroa seems to be just as much of a problem in hot places like Cyprus.

 

[beekeeping4you]

I think you'll find that a super-insulated hive of the correct design could also get warm enough to greatly hinder Varroa mite reproduction...

Hi simoncav,
We keep all our bees in super-insulated hives with Polystyrene walls of 45mm thickness.
I'm confident the temperature of 42 degrees Cel. required to kill the mites will build up inside the hive during many days in summer.
The problem is that this temperature is lethal for the mites as well as for the bees if it lasts for more than 45 minutes.
The bees want to maintain 35 degrees for brood rearing, anything higher will kill the brood and they counteract by fanning and bringing in water for evaporation thus saving the brood and the mites from perishing.

Sadly, even with our super insulated hives we always had and still have a reproductive Varroa population and the need to monitor and treat.
Regards
Reiner

 

[beekeeping4you]

Hi Reiner,
...you have to love sminky shorts.

...that's right, that's right, that's right!

Regards
Reiner

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biArkwUaURA&list=UUM6GMjuayptLCJHVpJzYyBA&index=20[/ame]