Varroa treatment over winter

[batheyedoc]

Good morning - I have a question about Varroa treatment over winter. I am a beginner beekeeper, but have (fairly) successfully negotiated my first season and managed to control swarming, split a hive, and re-queened a colony. I'd like to treat my two colonies over winter for Varroa; my mite drop was low in summer so I haven't treated them at all yet. I also decided as these were new colonies that I wouldn't harvest any honey, so I have removed the queen excluders and have left them their honey for overwinter stores.
My question is what treatment would one recommend? The honey I'm assuming will be completely consumed by the bees so is Oxalic acid a problem? Could I just use Apivar and if so where should I put them?

Your wisdom again would be much appreciated.

Jon

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

my mite drop was low in summer

how did you measure it?

I also decided as these were new colonies that I wouldn't harvest any honey

why would the fact they were 'new' colonies make any difference?

I have removed the queen excluders and have left them their honey for overwinter stores.

how many supers?

how much honey was in them

is Oxalic acid a problem?

OA is never a problem, ideally, you should have started treating a bit earlier but if we are talking if sublimation I would get straight in there now and give them three blasts of OQ, five days apart. Otherwise, your only option is Apivar

 

[batheyedoc]

how did you measure it?

Mites were measured with the NBU sticky board method
http://bit.ly/4e5sktY

why would the fact they were 'new' colonies make any difference?

Not sure - I took an experienced beekeepers advice.........

how many supers?

1 per hive

how much honey was in them

About 10kg I reckon

OA is never a problem, ideally, you should have started treating a bit earlier but if we are talking if sublimation I would get straight in there now and give them three blasts of OQ, five days apart. Otherwise, your only option is Apivar

Thanks very much for replying. My concern was that the OA would contaminate the supers for future honey harvests.

 

[ericbeaumont]

removed the queen excluders and have left them their honey for overwinter stores.

Yes, how much, and are they on single BBs?
More useful to assess hive weight or stores in combs and remove or add as necessary.

20kg is the average weight needed. A full DN holds about 2kg, a full SN 1kg.

Remove roof bricks etc and heft the hive under the back of the floor with one hand. How hard was it to lift?

A super above the nest is not a problem (honey will store heat) provided the colony is strong and not held in the BB during a cold snap. If it does get cold bees will not be able to move up to those stores, no matter how much you leave them.

assuming will be completely consumed by the bees

No, the outcome is variable, so be ready in early spring to remove stores from the BB and give a sheet of foundation either side of the nest; repeat as necessary. Always leave 2 or 3 DN stores on board.

In early spring you will almost certainly find the brood nest in the supers. Put the queen below a QX and allow the supers brood to emerge and the combs revert to nectar storage.

Could I just use Apivar

Yes, but technically, Apivar should not be used when supers are on. However, if the honey is capped the problem of contamination is negligible.

where should I put them?

Follow the instructions on the packet.

new colonies

No, at least 20m years old, so quite used to winter: https://bibba.com/honeybee-origins/#:~:text=It is thought that bees,to 74 million years ago.

 

[ericbeaumont]

OA would contaminate the supers

Not a worry.

In the US, OA may be used when supers are on; European research showed that any contamination was negligible, not dissimilar to natural background levels and short-lived.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Mites were measured with the NBU sticky board method
http://bit.ly/4e5sktY

Page 198 here? If so, an unreliable method of assessment.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mites were measured with the NBU sticky board method
http://bit.ly/4e5sktY

Awfully inaccurate, you may as well just use tarot cards

Not sure - I took an experienced beekeepers advice.........

ah, one of them

#

My concern was that the OA would contaminate the supers for future honey harvests.

it won't

 

[Erichalfbee]

Your wisdom again would be much appreciated.

Hi Jon.
Welcome.
Just as well you joined the forum.
Some of the advice you’ve had has been delivered robustly but heed it. It’s all sound.
Stay with us. These pages are an Aladdin’s cave.

 

[batheyedoc]

Hi Jon.
Welcome.
Just as well you joined the forum.
Some of the advice you’ve had has been delivered robustly but heed it. It’s all sound.
Stay with us. These pages are an Aladdin’s cave.

Thanks Dani. I don't mind the robust responses - I'm fairly resilient and appreciate any constructive advice, no matter how it is delivered!

 

[rossbyjove]

Good morning - I have a question about Varroa treatment over winter. I am a beginner beekeeper, but have (fairly) successfully negotiated my first season and managed to control swarming, split a hive, and re-queened a colony. I'd like to treat my two colonies over winter for Varroa; my mite drop was low in summer so I haven't treated them at all yet. I also decided as these were new colonies that I wouldn't harvest any honey, so I have removed the queen excluders and have left them their honey for overwinter stores.
My question is what treatment would one recommend? The honey I'm assuming will be completely consumed by the bees so is Oxalic acid a problem? Could I just use Apivar and if so where should I put them?

Your wisdom again would be much appreciated.

Jon

Probably ought to have started treating a while back.
There will be Varroa, counting how many seems a bit pointless in my opinion as you will treat if there are some or many.
I usually use Apiguard and oxalic vape late Dec early Jan.
Used Apivar this year for the first time and the drop has been very low but they will still get the vape treatment.
OA does not taint honey.
Apiguard will but I quite liked the antiseptic taste, then again I am weird like that.

 

[JamezF]

Apiguard will but I quite liked the antiseptic taste, then again I am weird like that.

And I imagine it's quite reassuring to know that you don't have varroa

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And I imagine it's quite reassuring to know that you don't have varroa

James

or nosema