Varroa drop 20 per day

[Vramin]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have put varroa trays in my other hives now, so can compare them all.

As I originally said, I realise that 24 hours is not long enough for a representative sample, although as the bees are now clustered and temperature has been low for a while I don't expect to see much variation day-to-day (probably setting myself up for a fall!). I'll see what drops over a week.

I think that requeening might be an option, although I'm not sure that it would be wise to keep whatever remains of the overwintered colony if it is indeed so heavily infested. Weakened and possible badly virus-infected bees might be better off discarded altogether. I'll have to wait and see how they look in he spring.

 

[Finman]

I'll see what drops over a week.

.

Why don't you give oxalic at once? Why wait?

 

[Vramin]

Why don't you give oxalic at once? Why wait?

It's on order. I'll use it as soon as it arrives. Thanks.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Good luck with them; let us know how you get on.

 

[Vramin]

Hi peeps.

6 day varroa drop was 126, so as I suspected the one-day drop of 20 was pretty representative at this time of year.

3 day drop in my other 4 hives was 0, 1, 2 & 2. These were also treated with MAQS in August but mite drop was only a few hundred during & following treatment.

It looks like I have one rogue colony, which I might replace with an over-wintering nuc in spring.

Would I be better to kill bad queen and unite workers with nuc, or ditch the whole bad colony? I'm concerned that the workers might not be worth keeping considering the high varroa and therefore likely virus load.

On the other hand, considering that the varroa-infested colony appears strong despite the varroa, perhaps I should keep them as the queen appears to be producing nice strong bees.

I can see two conflicting arguments... What should I do? Ditch or keep - advice would be most welcome.

PS. I have just treated with oxalic acid.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi peeps.

6 day varroa drop was 126, so as I suspected the one-day drop of 20 was pretty representative at this time of year.

3 day drop in my other 4 hives was 0, 1, 2 & 2. These were also treated with MAQS in August but mite drop was only a few hundred during & following treatment.

It looks like I have one rogue colony, which I might replace with an over-wintering nuc in spring.

Would I be better to kill bad queen and unite workers with nuc, or ditch the whole bad colony? I'm concerned that the workers might not be worth keeping considering the high varroa and therefore likely virus load.

On the other hand, considering that the varroa-infested colony appears strong despite the varroa, perhaps I should keep them as the queen appears to be producing nice strong bees.

I can see two conflicting arguments... What should I do? Ditch or keep - advice would be most welcome.

PS. I have just treated with oxalic acid.

What is re queening going to do?? £40 for an unkown queen with small ovaries and her swarming charateristics unkown

if they are heavily infested and a strong colony then you probably have a strong laying queen because she is out laying the varroa's effect on the bees ,it you get rid of the varroa then the colony will be even stronger even with the same queen~keep her, and kill the varroa

consider treating with something in March, either vet prescribed Apivar(amitraz) or Bavarol (Pytheroids), The later would possible not be as effective but the sodium channel restance that happens with Bavarol wears off after three years non treatment, remember IPM, different types of multple treatments and you will get on top of them, no one treatment will work on its own if they get heavily infected

 

[Vramin]

Thanks MuswellMetro. Good advice - just what I was looking for.

I wasn't actually thinking of buying a queen though. As I said, I have an overwintering nuc ready to replace a dead/weak colony in the spring.

The queen in question is now 2 years old, so I'll probably treat the colony as you suggest and then encourage them to raise a new queen next year. I want to try and keep her genetics, as all my other colonies originated from a different queen. (I do realise that a new queen will differ though, and might not be any good.)