Varroa fall - do they march far ??

[BBG]

Treating with Thymol, we placed a white sheet under the hive.

Sheet is pictured below after being left overnight. There were more varroa to the right but we brought it home and many dropped off.

To avoid another mass exodus we didn't push the Varroa tray all the way in leaving a 3 inch gap of the Open Mesh Floor so that there was a little more ventilation in the hive than the last treatment.

On the sheet, the 3 inch gap of the Open Mesh Floor,
has allowed debris, mostly varroa, to fall between the lath on the right and the two sticks on the left.

To the right was the front of the hive

We were struck by how far the varroa had managed to go after hitting the sheet.

The case for oil on the varroa tray must be right?

Any thoughts? Reach for the Gau-8 !!

 

[For want of a better word]

I have noticed a distinct variation in amount of fall across the monitoring board too..... perhaps they are migrating south for the winter?

 

[Hivemaker.]

If you have a well made floor, and leave the slide in during treatment, you get a better kill rate, and the vapour will kill any living mites which have fallen onto the floor slide.

 

[drstitson]

treatments are meant to work best with well sealed, smallest volume hive possible with tray in.

 

[Flatters]

Also cooking oil on the monitoring board means they don't march anywhere.

 

[psafloyd]

Also cooking oil on the monitoring board means they don't march anywhere.

 

[BBG]

First hive we treated created a mass exodus and they were out overnight.

Thought it best to leave 3 inch gap overnight to allow ventilation.

Must say they seem to be becoming accustomed to the thymol smell and almost carry on as normal now.

Thanks, will heed advice on treatments ref varroa tray and small entrances.

 

[itma]

Also cooking oil on the monitoring board means they don't march anywhere.

Is there scope for a Vaseline vs cooking oil poll?

 

[Gardenbees]

If you watch live mites on the board, they actually scuttle along surprisingly fast. And if they should encounter a bee, they hop on VERY sharpish and cling tenaciously. So whether it's Vaseline or cooking oil, either way is a good idea I reckon.

 

[Flatters]

As you can see they stick well. Crisp and dry they are now. The pollen mites seem to walk about without any problems (there is one there), but I assume they have evolved that way.

And look a poor wasp met its end here too.