Whats was your total Varroa drop after oxalic

[Finman]

These numbers seem low; should ?

If the autumn treatment has succeeded well, you may get even one mite.
But in worst cases they are thousands.

There is no recommendations for winter mites when you should use oxalic acid.
Much of dead mites will stay in emtpy cells up to spring and bees start to clean combs and drop mites down.

 

[mbc]

Who actually is numpty enough to check anyway!

To be informed cannot be a bad thing, can it ?

By the way, this was last winters poll.

 

[mbc]

Much of dead mites will stay in emtpy cells up to spring and bees start to clean combs and drop mites down.

This came up a while ago in a thread discussing whether counting varroa drop could give a false positive.

 

[Dishmop]

What numbers?

Respondents? Varroa drop? One particular post?

Have poll on whether to have a poll on levels of broodlessness? Who actually is numpty enough to check anyway!

(yzalich) In most years except in extreme winters like 2009/10 queens do not stop laying

I am of the opinion that queens do not continue to lay over the winter period.
Often we read "I opened up to do the OX treatment. There was brood and stores" etc etc.... my eyesight is not to the level of that of a fighter pilot but I have never been able to see what is brood or stores without pulling the frames out even on bright sunny warm days.
In my obs hive I have never seen any brood over winter.
The bees that are in there have been there since October/November, and when they start flying again, they will start the eat the remaining stores with great speed for the energy they need to collect food for when the queen starts laying.

 

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Dishmop

E P Jeffree 1959 in Aberdeen was studying the best colony size to Winter
They were counting bees by pulling all the frames out all through the Winter
They found there could be brood in any of the hives in any of the Winter months
Sorry to disagree

 

[Dishmop]

Hi Dishmop

E P Jeffree 1959 in Aberdeen was studying the best colony size to Winter
They were counting bees by pulling all the frames out all through the Winter
They found there could be brood in any of the hives in any of the Winter months
Sorry to disagree

I dont consider that as disagreement, because it was only my opinion. I have no facts to back it up.

You are only quoting what you have read....

I was quoting from my experience as a mere 4 hive keeper and what I have seen in my obs hive. May be a different situation in my other hives but I dont intend to venture into the hives to find out.

 

[alanf]

I dont consider that as disagreement, because it was only my opinion. I have no facts to back it up.

Several references at the bottom here http://www.irishbeekeeping.ie/articles/supobs.html

As far as what published evidence exists; colder climate areas on N America have consistent broodless periods. In the UK (and Ireland) colonies do have broodless periods but when is not easily predicted and varies in the same apiaries.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In the UK (and Ireland) colonies do have broodless periods but when is not easily predicted and varies in the same apiaries.

Just rip the brood nest apart to find out - nothing better to do at this time of the year anyway!

 

[Dishmop]

Just rip the brood nest apart to find out - nothing better to do at this time of the year anyway!

well.. one does have to know.

 

[alanf]

Just rip the brood nest apart to find out - nothing better to do at this time of the year anyway!

I did before oxalic treatment. Bit wet today, but I'd have no problem with a brief check last weekend if I had to when it was 12C and they were bringing pollen in.

 

[dclewis]

Did a count 2 weeks after treatment with OA. Hives(4) treated with thymol in Autumn dropped on average 70-100 mites in 2 weeks, those (5) treated with Apivar (Amitraz) in autumn dropped 0-8 in 2 weeks except 1 which dropped 70.

 

[Panteg]

Weird results!

I have two hives, similar bee numbers in Jan ( approx. 8 - 9 frames). Sited 10 feet apart. Both treated in August with Apilife var and had a couple of hundred drop each.
In January after Oxalic Hive one: 27 mites after one week. Hive two: 1,300 after one week.
Anyone got any idea how this would happen??

 

[MuswellMetro]

Did a count 2 weeks after treatment with OA. Hives(4) treated with thymol in Autumn dropped on average 70-100 mites in 2 weeks, those (5) treated with Apivar (Amitraz) in autumn dropped 0-8 in 2 weeks except 1 which dropped 70.

very similar results, i had problems last year, at one apiary so got vet precribed Apivar(Amitraz) and I was amazed how low the drop has been on the Apivar site for the rest of the season compared to apiguard apiaries