What to do about Varroa?

[Ben Framed]

Been keeping bees over 10 years & use OA, glycerin & water in thin cellulose sponges.  Lasts over a month & the slow release of OA does the job.  Lowers my levels down to 1or 2 per 300 bees.  Cheap, easy to use & doesn't depend on temperature.   Used formic pro 2 years ago & lost 3 queens.

Lawyer Rick, will you go into detail as to how you prepare and use this method?  1 or 2 per 300 sounds grand to me. Thanks.

[van from Arkansas]

Van, it may not help you out any but I don't treat for mites.  Haven't since I started keeping bees.  I started with 3 nucs  and caught a swarm about 7 years ago.  Now I have over 80 hives.  I guess you could say that my treatment is expansion.  Last year was a bad year for winter losses.  Lost near 20 of 80+ hives.  Still better than the average losses.  Previously my winter losses have been around 10%.   I don't look for mites so I don't know whether I have them or not.  It might not help you out but I thought that I would give my opinion.

Thank you Cao, yes, does help.  Splits are a great tool, expansion, for controlling varroa.  What ever works.  I admire treatment free beeks.

[van from Arkansas]

Been keeping bees over 10 years & use OA, glycerin & water in thin cellulose sponges.  Lasts over a month & the slow release of OA does the job.  Lowers my levels down to 1or 2 per 300 bees.  Cheap, easy to use & doesn't depend on temperature.   Used formic pro 2 years ago & lost 3 queens.

Lawyer Rick: same ? as Mr. BenFramed ask?

[rast]

 I also am interested in Lawer Rick's method. As a maker of OAV guns that is what I use of course. Its also interesting that using OAV in this heat that the bees seem to become very hygenic and will pull the eggs and young larva out. This of course results in a lowering of brood population which also helps with mite control. Double edge sword though for those maintaining population for brazilian pepper. U of F called my attention to the brood loss in the summer heat after OAV and I confirmed on my hives.

[jimineycricket]

       Just kind of curious.  When was this extended shop towel with oxalic acid method legalized??

[amymcg]

I do not believe this is a registered form of treatment. From what I could glean, Randy has a special permit for experimental usage.

[Ben Framed]

       Just kind of curious.  When was this extended shop towel with oxalic acid method legalized??

Just kind of curious why was it made illegal in the first place? If it was?

[Ben Framed]

I also am interested in Lawer Rick's method. As a maker of OAV guns that is what I use of course. Its also interesting that using OAV in this heat that the bees seem to become very hygenic and will pull the eggs and young larva out. This of course results in a lowering of brood population which also helps with mite control. Double edge sword though for those maintaining population for brazilian pepper. U of F called my attention to the brood loss in the summer heat after OAV and I confirmed on my hives.

Been keeping bees over 10 years & use OA, glycerin & water in thin cellulose sponges.  Lasts over a month & the slow release of OA does the job.  Lowers my levels down to 1or 2 per 300 bees.  Cheap, easy to use & doesn't depend on temperature.   Used formic pro 2 years ago & lost 3 queens.

Lawyer Rick: same ? as Mr. BenFramed ask?

Been keeping bees over 10 years & use OA, glycerin & water in thin cellulose sponges.  Lasts over a month & the slow release of OA does the job.  Lowers my levels down to 1or 2 per 300 bees.  Cheap, easy to use & doesn't depend on temperature.   Used formic pro 2 years ago & lost 3 queens.

Lawyer Rick, will you go into detail as to how you prepare and use this method?  1 or 2 per 300 sounds grand to me. Thanks.

Bump

[Michael Bush]

I run about 20% drone comb and I never cull drone comb.  I just move it to the outside frames.  I have a lot of combs that are entirely drone comb.  My Varroa counts are never high.  All my comb is either natural size or small cell.

[yes2matt]

I run about 20% drone comb and I never cull drone comb.  I just move it to the outside frames.  I have a lot of combs that are entirely drone comb.  My Varroa counts are never high.  All my comb is either natural size or small cell.

How often do you test? Every year I vow to test regularly and every year I test less.

For varroa treatment I make a lot of splits after honey harvest (mid-late June) and try my best to raise next year's queens from my healthiest-this-year hive. Every colony gets cut down at least once. I have to feed like crazy to get them ready for November but they dont raise many drones when they're building back and I haven't needed to use miticides.



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[Ben Framed]

Matt have you investigated the topic  New anti Varroa Treatment. Started By Bobbee? If not is describes a mushroom that is anti termite. It is hoped it will have the same effect on mites while not effecting bees 🐝  I looked at the date on the video posted is was 2014 so it is not so new really. The question is what has been found. Anyone here know of this mushroom treatment? I did see a heading by Kamon Reynolds that mentioned this but I have not watched the video. (Yet)

[Ben Framed]

I would also like to encourage you to read the article posted by TheHoneyPump on his topic :  Interesting tiny critters. 

[Michael Bush]

>How often do you test? Every year I vow to test regularly and every year I test less.

I don't test.  The bee inspector who inspects for my health certificate so I can sell queens does once a year...

[Ben Framed]

Been keeping bees over 10 years & use OA, glycerin & water in thin cellulose sponges.  Lasts over a month & the slow release of OA does the job.  Lowers my levels down to 1or 2 per 300 bees.  Cheap, easy to use & doesn't depend on temperature.   Used formic pro 2 years ago & lost 3 queens.

Lawyer Rick can you post the address to this method? I can not find. Thanks Sir.

[amymcg]

It?s outlined quite extensively on scientificbeekeeping.com read all the articles, it?s several years in the making. It is also not an epa approved method.


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[Ben Framed]

Thanks Amy. I have found most everything including shop towels, OAV, Formic, Apivar, etc. by Mr Oliver, except the sponge method.

[amymcg]

Ben, it is a bit hidden, but here?s a link directly to the sponge. http://scientificbeekeeping.com/extended-release-oxalic-acid-progress-report-2019/#_Toc25995005


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[Ben Framed]

Got it!  Thanks Amy!

[Ben Framed]

I would think 98 percent efficiency against Varroa Destructor would be good anytime. Randy is suggesting this is safely achievable, even during honey production. If I am understanding him correctly?

"Practical application: in our commercial operation, achieving 98% efficacy in preventing mite counts from building up during the honey flow makes us very happy.  And this for a treatment that is very safe to handle, takes seconds to apply, and does not contaminate the honey or beeswax.  The cost would be about 32? per dose via shop towel (not counting the labor involved in preparation), or $1.30 with the cellulose sponges (which are easier to prepare and apply).  In case you haven?t guessed by now, I?m pretty excited about this method, but feel that we have at least another year of testing before we?re ready to submit to EPA."

[Ben Framed]

Is this the sponge 🧽?

https://www.amazon.com/cce-Dishcloth-Cellulose-Eco-Friendly-Absorbent/dp/B087N971DQ