weak colony and varoa

[beepig]

I have a weak colony and slow to get going. noticed today workers with damaged wings/ i have been informed that if colony weak then not a good idea to treat. is this the case...

 

[REDWOOD]

How weak is weak, are there lots of bees with DWV, if you do nothing they will die.

 

[beepig]

Not sure what DWV is but only two frames have brood on. not a huge amount of bees either. i have moved the two brood frames into middle and added pollen frames and two new foundation frames wither side as no room. have removed crystalised stores. and added a syrup feed to help bees dram foundation.....
My other colony has lots of bees but queen laying drones...cant get a new queen till may...

 

[REDWOOD]

Deformed wing virus, look it up on bee base. Seriously if you have a bad case of varroa and the colony not expanding do something quick before it collapses.

 

[Nige.Coll]

http://theapiarist.org/deformed-wing-virus/
Some pics there.
Nasty virus that can destroy the colony. They waste energy and resources rearing bees that cannot function and normally get thrown out and die.

 

[La Folie]

Your options are to treat (but is it warm enough for Apiguard or MACs at your place), or they will die out. With only a few bees and a large varroa problem doing nothing is not an option.

It reminds us all that varroa is still the main threat to honey bees.

 

[Finman]

My other colony has lots of bees but queen laying drones...cant get a new queen till may...

You have a queen in the weak colony. Change it to the drone rich colony.

Destroy that varroa rich colony's brood and treat bees.

Kill the drone laying queen, and wait that bees feel queenless. Then put a new queen under push in cage with few workers. And a little bit smoke.