deformed wings x 100s

[tlynn]

For the second time in a 3 weeks I noticed probably a couple hundred bees crawling around the hives, and they all are young bees with deformed wings.  It's like there's a big hatch of infected bees all at once and they are everywhere.  I powder sugared both hives last 2 weeks and got a whole lot of mite fall on paper I put below my strong hive the first time and markedly smaller amount the second round.  I will do it again this weekend and am wondering if I am doing enough to keep the mites at bay.  The one hive I think they are coming from is very strong, maybe 40k bees? (deep hive body is completely full of bees and most frames of a super are full when I inspect).  I am just surprised there are so many mites all of a sudden.  I thought they waned into the winter/dry season.  I use screened bottom boards.  When the mites fall to the ground are they done for or can they cover the distance back to the hive before they starve?

Thanks and happy holidays!

Tracy

[Michael Bush]

Varroa mites are more mobile than some people give them credit for, but they are limited.  Usually if they fall to the ground they are done for.  if they fall on a sticky board they are done for.  If they fall on a bottom board they are likely to find their way back to a bee.  But in winter, I have my doubts (at least here, maybe not in FL) that they would find their way back from a cold bottom board.  I have seen a Varroa running across a comb before, but not very often.  They prefer to stay on the bees.

[rdy-b]

when the affected brood hatches -you have got  another infestation of newly hatched mites as well-these mites are vectoring DWV-you have to kill the mites on the bees and time another treatment so the brood that was caped when you treated hatches and treat again-thats why mite treatments are left in the colony for a set time -apistan 42 days-(i think)-formic-pads-21 days (the beauty of formic is that it permeates the capping and kills the mite in the caped cell) and so on with various treatments-powderd sugar is a one time per application blast type treatment -you have to kill the mites to get rid of the DWV-you will be losing rounds of brood which are essential to the strength of the colony and it is in danger of collapsing -I would throw every thing i have at it to save it - RDY-B

[BjornBee]

tlynn,
First, take a deep breathe, and relax. Being in Florida, you are somewhat not in the same boat as many are in regards to the hive loss and mite crash as in the north.

For much of the north, 40 or 50 thousand bees going into winter, with an ever smaller cluster diminishing in numbers through the winter, means more mites per bee. And complete disaster for the bees brood attempts come late winter.

Being in Florida, you are no more protected from mites, but the kill zone is quite different. You have time to react and get it under control.

I would not wait however to do something. Your DWV is screaming for your attention. Treat as others have suggested and get the mite numbers down. Then I would....

*Sit down and look at your IPM strategy.

*Requeen with a better strain of bees.

*Come up with some regular based treatments until you are satisfied the bees will not succumb to mite levels they are presently achieving.

In the north, I use such things as dearths, broodless breaks, genetics such as Russians and carni stock that use their own natural ability to suppress mites, equipment options, and management strategies...which all feed off of each other, and together, provide for some natural IPM items that are effective.

If your going to go without standard treatments, you will need to focus on what you can or can not do in Florida. My own program here in Pennsylvania, will not work for you.

If you are going to rely on such things as sugar treatments, I would think that regular use and treatment, especially through fall, would be the best approach. And even then, I would not expect this to handle mite loads by itself.