Varroa Mite

[Queenswood Apiary]

Hi all, I have constantly been monitoring for Varroa since I got my 1st colony, as of today I have never spotted any signs, having a clear crown board I have been able to closely monitor the Bee's, I have also opened up some Drone brood and I have also placed the screen board in for 24hrs at a time and then inspected and I have never found anything. Am I just lucky or do you think I am missing them? I have seen images of the mites on the bottom board so I think I know what I am looking for but also wondering if I should be treating for Varroa as a matter of precaution?

 

[user 819]

If infestation is very low then likely you won't see any unless a treatment is applied, a low infestation is <3%.

 

[Boston Bees]

Forget seeing varroa on bees through the crown board. All my my hives have varroa but I have never, in 7 years of beekeeping, actually seen one on a bee.

I can't comment on uncapping drone brood, never done it.

If you have never seen one on an inspection board I suspect you haven't got your eye in yet. Use a magnifying glass until you get used to seeing them. And put cooking oil on the board.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi all, I have constantly been monitoring for Varroa since I got my 1st colony, as of today I have never spotted any signs, having a clear crown board I have been able to closely monitor the Bee's, I have also opened up some Drone brood and I have also placed the screen board in for 24hrs at a time and then inspected and I have never found anything. Am I just lucky or do you think I am missing them? I have seen images of the mites on the bottom board so I think I know what I am looking for but also wondering if I should be treating for Varroa as a matter of precaution?

24 Hours is not long enough. Try 2 weeks
My inspection trays are largely in all year but there is a 2 or 3 inch drop from the omf and a commensurate gap at the back. I can have a colony with very little natural drop go on to drop hundreds after a first vape.

 

[drex]

Varroa favour hiding between the bees "sections" on the underside and hence are not visible. How many drone larvae do you uncap? It needs to be at least 100 to get any idea of infestation levels. Varroa are in all hives even those with " varroa resistant " bees.
Whatever the levels I treat when the honey comes off (thymol) and again in early Dec but with OA

 

[Queenswood Apiary]

Varroa favour hiding between the bees "sections" on the underside and hence are not visible. How many drone larvae do you uncap? It needs to be at least 100 to get any idea of infestation levels. Varroa are in all hives even those with " varroa resistant " bees.
Whatever the levels I treat when the honey comes off (thymol) and again in early Dec but with OA

I probably done around d 50 drone cells. I was thinking it would be very odd if I didn't have Varroa. So hopefully a couple of weeks and I will be ready to take some honey and then it looks like I need to get some treatment ready. Is Thymol in the strip form that you place on top of the frames?

 

[drex]

Apiguard comes in a tray, for which you need a small eke or Apilife var comes as a biscuit which is broken into four pieces and is placed in each corner, both on top of the frames. Probably other brand names too