Hi,
I have winterized my hive and despite treating for Varroa twice, it seems that it is not under control. I have used mainly flash treatment (formic acid I guess…) and I have some thymol.
I can access the hive and can find a good day to open it, but… should I ?
It is getting somewhat cold (by France, Paris area, standards that is not US Midwest standards ) and I am concerned opening up the hive and starting a treatment now. I started the colony in June and it is my first and only one so far.
What sort of infestation do you have?
How have you measured it?
Your hive in Paris should by now be devoid of brood which is an ideal time to treat with oxalic acid. I would prefer to vapourise but you probably don’t have the kit so get to your beekeeping supplier asap and get a trickle bottle. 5mls of oxalic/sugar solution( most places sell it made up so it removes guesswork for a novice) per seam of bees dribbled over. Yes you have to take the top off but be quick and the bees won’t be bothered if they are clustered
Dee, have you had success dribbling oxalic over the bees in the cold? I’d worry about cold, wet, bees but I’ve never done it so I don’t know.
I vaporize as long as it’s above freezing.
Yes ! I’d be a bit nerves about the drip method. Dampening weak bees might not be a good option unless no other choose. Wish he/she had the iron ! I don’t have the directions here for drip temps n other info. I know Dees been at this way longer than me with these nasty critters. Just before our temps took a dive I recheck n did a powder sugar dusting ( I know it really won’t do major good) but I was doing any n all manual treatments this Autumn also.
What was/is the affection rate presently … Here my bees are really dropping off in numbers. My colonies are okay here but way too late for treatments. We’ve been near or below 32 dgs F … Several days of 25 n 27 dgs near Seattle. Today near 40’s F but suppose to drop back into the mid to low 30’s again. How long of a period (how long n when) is your above freezing period ?!
I’m satisfied with my two large colonies. It’s my small double deep Nuc I’m concerned about … I’m just trying to get my first Nuc thru the winter. Nothing venture … Nothing gained, as my mom use to tell me ! I lost two nice colonies because the mites got ahead of me this year late August. But was able to easily get three others thru with much less mite count. I learned this season to treat each hive as individuals. I guess I waited two weeks too long for two hive trying to wait for a good day n perfect weather but lost !! Live n learn ! It’s an interesting learning curve ! Luck I was able to use the honey supply in those two die-outs to totally supply my honey needs in the healthy other three.
From what I have read, some of the best beekeepers in the UK do Oxalic Acid dribbles in November, when the bees are clustered. They have great success with it, and it kills greater than 95% of mites in a broodless hive when used in this manner. Dave Cushman specifically states that ideal temperatures for doing it are 0 to 5 Celsius, so I guess that being cold and wet for a day can be OK.
I did it before I got a vaporiser. No problem. You warm your syrup and keep it in a thermos.
I prefer vaping, less intrusive and can be repeated almost ad infinitum
) and I am concerned opening up the hive and starting a treatment now. I started the colony in June and it is my first and only one so far.