Stuck in the middle

JurassicApiary · August 17, 2020, 11:09:16 PM

In Hawaii, Varraoa mites were discovered in 2008 on Oahu (where I am) and the Big Island in 2010. I've been growing our apiary over the summer doing swarm removals and cut-outs and to date, so far as I'm aware, none of our hives have Varroa. (All have SHB...ugh...) My dilemma is that I did a cut-out this morning and spotted Varroa in the colony. I am at this point not wanting to put this hive in my apiary for fear of them spreading to my other hives. Further, this cut-out was queen-less. They were in a large commercial hose reel (large wood spool basically), and the contractor had used their equipment to move the hose reel so they could continue to access the area where the bees originally were. Well, when they moved it (which was before they called me), all of the comb broke loose. When I cut it open this morning, all of the comb was pancaked on the bottom. No queen present and the survivors were attempting to make 5 emergency queen cells. I had considered merging them with a tiny swarm I removed from a residence recently, but then I remembered the Varroa and am reconsidering placing them in my apiary. At this point in time, I do not have a secondary location for hives. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. I'm feeling stuck at the moment and time is against me to decide what to do. Many thanks in advance for any input.

Ben Framed · August 17, 2020, 11:34:56 PM

That was a lot of work I am sure. Too bad they have mites being you are mite free in your apiary. Jurassic, how far away from your apiary was this cutout?

JurassicApiary · August 18, 2020, 12:18:53 AM

It was a sad mess to comb through, Ben Framed. This picture shows what it looked like upon removing the top. The location of the cutout is 27 miles from my apiary.

JurassicApiary · August 18, 2020, 12:20:46 AM

Quote from: JurassicApiary on August 18, 2020, 12:18:53 AM
It was a sad mess to comb through, Ben Framed. This picture shows what it looked like upon removing the top. The location of the cutout is 27 miles from my apiary.

Acebird · August 18, 2020, 09:04:15 AM

I am not one for chemicals but I think OAV is your answer before a combine.

TheHoneyPump · August 18, 2020, 11:07:37 AM

Since they are already queenless, formic acid - MAQS, could work very well to knock the mites out before combining them.

Ben Framed · August 18, 2020, 11:11:37 AM

X Two Great suggestion Mr HP

Mr Jurassic, since the bees were only 27 miles from you, it is inevitable that you will be battling mites, (and very soon) irregardless . As Mr HP suggested, knock these mites out! lol

JurassicApiary · August 18, 2020, 04:37:19 PM

Thank you all: Ben Framed, Acebird, and TheHoneyPump for your thoughts on my situation. I will give it my best to knock those mites out and will try to prevent their presence as long as I can!

FYI (educational tidbit): It has been unlawful to ship bees TO Hawaii (dead or alive) since 1908. All bees and bee equipment shipped within must be inspected by the State Dept. of Agriculture. Failure to due so is a felony and punishable by fine up to $200,000! This is all to prevent mites and other problems. Plus there are restrictions of which islands can ship to one another due to pest (mite) control. Oahu and the Big Island can only deal with each other so as to prevent Varroa from spreading to the other islands.

Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts, everyone.

Ben Framed · August 19, 2020, 12:09:28 AM

> FYI (educational tidbit): It has been unlawful to ship bees TO Hawaii (dead or alive) since 1908. All bees and bee
equipment shipped within must be inspected by the State Dept. of Agriculture. Failure to due so is a felony and punishable by fine up to $200,000! This is all to prevent mites and other problems. Plus there are restrictions of which islands can ship to one another due to pest (mite) control. Oahu and the Big Island can only deal with each other so as to prevent Varroa from spreading to the other islands.

Wonder how varroa got there? Any ideas?

Oldbeavo · August 20, 2020, 07:02:19 PM

Shipping containers are the biggest offenders in Australia for bees coming in. So far they have been found but we do have sentinel hives at ports.
Some Varroa Gibsonsoni have been found on these bees and hasn't got out. It just shows how easy if our diligence at ports drop that v. destructor could get here.

For the cut out with Varroa, I could do without those bees rather than risk my apiary.
I don't know how many hives you have, or if you rely on honey production for your income, but you can really grow by splitting if you are willing to drop some honey production.

.30WCF · August 20, 2020, 10:44:20 PM

You will get them one day, you get to chose if you get them today. Have you not heard or read all the arguments about different treatments, Queen loss,absconding...
Even if you ?knock them out?, but you get mites later this year, you will kick yourself,never knowing for sure if it was these or something out of your hands.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk