I have a hive that presents zero to 4 mites after sublimation with oxalic acid. This is a standard 10 frame, double deep hive body, supered as needed in spring. My other hives produce mites in the hundreds. This has been repeated three times: 2 grams oxalic acid sublimation per sealed hive. I have NOT proved hygienic by nitrogen freeze kill. So I use the term hygienic loosely, lack of varroa, not per University standards.
Please, I wish not to enter the treat or no treat argument. My goal is to develope treatment free hives.
Now that I have what I call a hygienic hive, I will propagate queens from this hive. BUT, I have no way to determine or control the drones the queens breed to. The hygienic queen was naturally mated. I also do not know what percentage of progeny carries the hygienic behavior. For all I know the queen could have mated with 12 or more drones in which only one drone out of 12 passed on the hygienic trait resulting in 1 in 12 workers that are hygienic.
Of special note, oxalic acid is a natural component of honey, raw spinach contains 0.5% oxalic acid. My 2 grams of oxalic acid treatment is below the natural % of spinach. I just know I am gonna get letured on treatment. Bless those who oppose as this creates learning for me.
Help me out here. I want to maintain the mite free hive(s.)
I have hives that originated from one hive that survived the mites in the late eighties, when they first appeared. These hives have never been treated with any chemical, nor have any of their female ancestors. . The drones have never been controlled. The resistance seems to go down the female side.
www.waynesbees.com
Since the 80s, now that is impressive. Thank you for the text, this encourages me greatly.
I've been using the OAV - oxalic acid vaporizer since not long after I got started. I haven't attempted to not use it.
GSF thank you for the reply. Do you notice a significant difference in mint drop among your colonies after OAV treatment?
Yes, more mites dropped than usual but I didn't do a count. I know some folks may get crazy when I say this, but dogs have fleas, bees have mites, it's pretty much natural. I OAV each fall and never count. In defense;
My success? Unreal. I don't loose hives to mites. I rarely loose a hive at all. I'm about through my 4th or 5th winter. Collectively I've caught well over a hundred to a hundred and twenty swarms, did about 8-10 cutouts, and collective bought about 6 packages. That's about my bee keeping history. Collectively I've lost two to "don't have a clue"(very new at the time), one starved out, about 4 nucs to sugar ants, probably 3 or 4 hives lost their queens, a couple small nucs were robbed out and absconded, and 2 or 3 nucs were fist size to begin with in last summer.
Truly, what has caused this success? I can't say. My area? OAV? Lori's formulated vitamin syrup? I don't know but I'm grateful.