Wet bees in winter

[ShinySideUp]

I have all my stuff prepared to do a winter dribbling against varroa next month if the right day comes along but I have this nagging doubt about whether or not to go ahead or to spend a lot of money on a Varrox heater because I'm afraid of getting the bees too wet and killing them in the cold weather.

We all know how cold we get if we get wet when there is cool breeze in the winter and if cold enough it could kill us too. So can I wet the bees too much?

Would it be better to buy a vapouriser even though I have few hives as it seems safer, drier and would do a better job of getting as many mites as possible?

 

[Amari]

I use a Varrox but there are cheaper vaporisers:

https://www.thorne.co.uk/health-and-feeding/varroa/oxalic-based?product_id=7277

Vap or trickle?.......as with all such questions it's a matter of opinion, debate and strong opinions. Use 'Search' facility for the many threads on this subject.

 

[Millet]

I have all my stuff prepared to do a winter dribbling against varroa next month if the right day comes along but I have this nagging doubt about whether or not to go ahead or to spend a lot of money on a Varrox heater because I'm afraid of getting the bees too wet and killing them in the cold weather.

We all know how cold we get if we get wet when there is cool breeze in the winter and if cold enough it could kill us too. So can I wet the bees too much?

Would it be better to buy a vapouriser even though I have few hives as it seems safer, drier and would do a better job of getting as many mites as possible?

Have you not read through the Forum recently .

 

[ShinySideUp]

Have you not read through the Forum recently .

Yes, but it's not that I'm favouring one method over another I'm just wondering if one method is more prone to killing bees than the other in the hands of a relative beginner. I just don't want to soak the buggers through and ruining their cluster because I'm a bit fast and loose with a syringe so I'm trying to avoid mistakes before they happen.

In the hands of an idiot, which method is least likely to kill bees?

 

[drex]

Neither method is difficult. Could you be over thinking this a bit. If worried about dose when dribbling, buy 10, 5ml syringes. Pre load with OA syrup, whip crown board off and off you go, one syringe ( or less depending on bee numbers) per seem. If dribbling I use one 60 ml syringe. Buy scales off eBay that will measure 0.1 gm (about £5). Api Bioxal is the approved OA treatment but expensive compared to generic OA
I tend to vape main colonies and dribble the nucs, which are all home made with access difficult for a vape. Recently made a nucs eke so I can vape from top, but it is a bit of a faff, so still dribble a few.

 

[Amari]

Neither method is difficult. Could you be over thinking this a bit. If worried about dose when dribbling, buy 10, 5ml syringes. Pre load with OA syrup, whip crown board off and off you go, one syringe ( or less depending on bee numbers) per seem. If dribbling I use one 60 ml syringe. Buy scales off eBay that will measure 0.1 gm (about £5). Api Bioxal is the approved OA treatment but expensive compared to generic OA
I tend to vape main colonies and dribble the nucs, which are all home made with access difficult for a vape. Recently made a nucs eke so I can vape from top, but it is a bit of a faff, so still dribble a few.

Drex, is that with a Varrox-type or Sublimox-type thingy? I'm slowly changing to your double-BB mantra and worry that vapping below the OMF will not deliver a therapeutic dose to the upper BB.

 

[For want of a better word]

I gave up on the Winter dribble a number of years ago after loosing four colonies of nice Greek bees in an out Apiary on Wembury Point.
Thinking back on it Nosema may have been the cause of their demise, but the colonies I had treated with pricey sachets of Apiguard thrived... and still form my pedigree line of Bill Fullimore New Zealand Italians to this day!

Buy or borrow a Varrox or similar ( watch out for the cheep Ukrainian ones... more lethal to the handler than the bees.

On Nucs.. I vapourise 1g of ApiBiPoxall or whatever OA is called now.. through the OMF
( Or Vaporise with the Varromoron gasser diceckt through the entrance)... whichever way bees get a dose of OA which seems to knock the mite load down to a manageable level as per Randi Oliver's advice on varroa management.

Mytten da

 

[Poly Hive]

And I will say the oposite.

I am not keen on the vaping due to the kit involved and the expense of a good quality mask to make it safe. A proper vapour mask was when I bought them for the rig crews some 15 years ago was over £30 a pop.

So I trickle and to the best of my knowledge have never lost a unit I can attribute to the syrup. I have been running in the region of 15 colonies and 20+ nucs over the last 10 years or so with this treatment.

PH

 

[pargyle]

No brainer ... if they need treatment this is about the cheapest OA Vapouriser I've seen apart from making one yourself.

http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/...riser/economy-oxalic-vaporiser-to62-ev-detail

Trickling in mid winter is so Old School ...

I would not be as harsh as Millet but read all the threads on OA Vaping ... and you must surely come to the conclusion that there is only one treatment that appears to be almost without risk to the bees and that can be used at any time of the year and with a high degree of mite kill.

 

[coffindodger]

No brainer ... if they need treatment this is about the cheapest OA Vapouriser I've seen apart from making one yourself.

http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/...riser/economy-oxalic-vaporiser-to62-ev-detail

I got one of those season before last. It works well. The pan is just crimped onto the shaft so may need an extra push to stop it twisting. If using with a car battery beware that the outer part of the shaft is the negative and not insulated. I use a smart jump starter which is about as big as a mobile phone; makes it so much easier. OA from Thornes comes double wrapped with spoon and easy to use. Would I buy again? Yes.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In the hands of an idiot, which method is least likely to kill bees?

A vapouriser.

But, in the hands of an idiot (to use your words) is more likely to kill said idiot than trickling

 

[Hivemaker.]

Thinking about propolis/wax in particular, but some people preach one thing, yet do exactly the opposite themselves.

 

[domino]

Yes, but it's not that I'm favouring one method over another I'm just wondering if one method is more prone to killing bees than the other in the hands of a relative beginner. I just don't want to soak the buggers through and ruining their cluster because I'm a bit fast and loose with a syringe so I'm trying to avoid mistakes before they happen.

In the hands of an idiot, which method is least likely to kill bees?

I don't think either of them is going to kill bees. The dibble method is cheaper and quicker if you're using a varrox.

Maybe have a chat with local members and see if they use a varrox. You can go and see how they do it then, that'll let you work out if it is for you.

 

[drex]

Drex, is that with a Varrox-type or Sublimox-type thingy? I'm slowly changing to your double-BB mantra and worry that vapping below the OMF will not deliver a therapeutic dose to the upper BB.

Have sent you a pm Giles.

 

[Anduril]

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=570694&postcount=20
If trickling can be done up in Scotland, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Millet]

No brainer ... if they need treatment this is about the cheapest OA Vapouriser I've seen apart from making one yourself.

http://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk/...riser/economy-oxalic-vaporiser-to62-ev-detail

Trickling in mid winter is so Old School ...

I would not be as harsh as Millet but read all the threads on OA Vaping ... and you must surely come to the conclusion that there is only one treatment that appears to be almost without risk to the bees and that can be used at any time of the year and with a high degree of mite kill.

I did not mean to come across as harsh and if i did i apologize to Shiny.

Vaporizer all the time for me, i only have a few hives at present but i can get them all done in around 10mins, 2.5grams under the mesh floor and bobs your uncle and so on.

 

[Beefriendly]

Trickling in mid winter is so Old School ...

Someone once said if ain't broke don't mend it.
Trickling works fine (as does vaping) and trickling shouldn't be discouraged in the slightest just because some recent Beaujolais Nouveau drinker sees it as "old school".
What pretentious carp.

 

[For want of a better word]

Someone once said if ain't broke don't mend it.
Trickling works fine (as does vaping) and trickling shouldn't be discouraged in the slightest just because some recent Beaujolais Nouveau drinker sees it as "old school".
What pretentious carp.

Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau wine.jpg
Wine region Burgundy
Appellation Beaujolais
Varietal Gamay

Prefer Rioja !!
Yeghes da

 

[pargyle]

Someone once said if ain't broke don't mend it.
Trickling works fine (as does vaping) and trickling shouldn't be discouraged in the slightest just because some recent Beaujolais Nouveau drinker sees it as "old school".
What pretentious carp.

Yep ... Luddites were right there weren't they ... ? Move on ... even if it works - there's a better way than trickling .

 

[Anduril]

Yep ... Luddites were right there weren't they ... ? Move on ... even if it works - there's a better way than trickling .

Unfortunately we are in the beginners section, please respect that. There are more ways to look after the bees and it also depends on finances. Trickling is valid as is vaporising. We are here to help and offer advice to people on a budget or deep pockets.