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  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Need some miticide advice
  • Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2016 13:29:46 -0400

Nerissa,

I think that your re-test plan is very appropriate, especially since you have uncontrolled factors that may be skewing your numbers. If you do need to retreat at that time (2 weeks from now), maybe the temperatures will be within the acceptable range for MiteAway Quick Strips. MAQS has always been very effective for me and only requires a 7-day treatment window, but can't be used safely when the temperature is too hot. Mid-September may work out fine.

Let us know how it turns out.

Randall

On 9/1/2016 1:10 PM, Nerissa Rivera wrote:
BN3PR0501MB1651B50A3E6F8514CEA0A85CFBE20 AT BN3PR0501MB1651.namprd05.prod.outlook.com" type="cite">

Back in mid July I treated my 4 hives with ApiVar because 1) it could withstand the high temps of the summer, 2) I had tested the hives in early July and the mite counts were enough that I knew I would have to treat before the fall; 3) I am leaving to Europe in mid September and wanted to get the hives treated before I was gone for three weeks.

 

This weekend I removed the miticide in 2 of the hives and did a post test treatment.  I found one mite in one hive and 0 in the other.  Today I removed the miticide in my other 2 hives.  The first hive on which I did the post treatment sugar shake test had 22 mites!!!  I was, to say the least, more than a bit surprised.  Also this is my strongest hive and consists of 2  boxes of brood, one box with about 3-4 frames of brood and the rest full of food stores, and 2 full supers of stores. I definitely have 60lbs of stores and the queen is still laying well. 

 

I then tested the last hive and had a mite count of 0. 

 

Going back to the 22 mites I found in my strong hive, this is what I remember—the mites were dead.  I think I saw one live mite.  There may have been some impacted sugar in the bottom of the jar I used in the sugar shake test.  Is it possible that the mites I saw were dead mites that had gotten impacted in the sugar still remaining in the jar  from my last series of tests back in July??  I didn’t use this particular jar when I did the tests on the first two hives on Sunday.

 

My plan is to do another sugar shake test on this hive in about 10 days.  (I’m going away for Labor Day weekend.)   I will use a clean jar and retest my strong hive.  If I find a similar mite count of 20 or more, I will have to come up with another treatment option for this hive.  But if I get results that are in line with those of my other hives, I would think that the treatment was effective  and the mites I saw came from previous tests done in July.  Is this plan reasonable and realistic???  And most of all will I have time to effectively treat the hive before it gets too cold?

 

Feedback, criticism, ideas are all welcome.  Thanks in advance for your help and input.

 

Nerissa



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