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  • From: John Rintoul <beecd AT icloud.com>
  • To: Orange County Beekeepers Association <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [ocba] VSH Beekeeping in Carrboro
  • Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 17:49:56 -0400

For beekeepers who are interested in alternative approaches to varroa control you might be interested in my ongoing experience with two VSH nucs that I installed late this spring. I did my first sugar shake test July 29 on the weakest hive - Hive 2. I found 5 varroa. A lot fewer than I had expected given the number of ‘in-cell’ varroa found during my dissection of a chunk of burr comb (drone comb) in mid-July. After the sugar shake, I sent a message to my VSH nuc supplier. His response is included below.

He agrees with Lewis. Varroa free colonies are a pipe dream - diligent monitoring is required.

Rainy days and other things have delayed my planned sugar shake on Hive 1 so I don’t yet know what’s going on there. I hope to get to it sometime next week or shortly thereafter. I’ll let you know what I find.

-John

John this is very good and the bees are doing just as they are supposed to, the VSH trait is to keep mites at a level that the
hive can co-exist. The VSH are not to be completely mite free. It is good that you are checking your hives - most don't - they
just treat in spring and fall but again we do not treat at all and haven't for 5 years now.

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014, John Rintoul wrote:

Jamie,
I did a hive inspection today and did a sugar shake test for varroa. This is the first time that I’ve done a sugar shake on
either hive. I only found 5 varroa. Not as good as I hoped, but at least the count is below the treatment threshold. I plan
on testing the other hive tomorrow.


  • [ocba] VSH Beekeeping in Carrboro, John Rintoul, 08/05/2014

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