Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

ocba - Re: [ocba] Great

ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Walter Starks <walterstarks AT icloud.com>
  • To: mark powers <markapowers53 AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: OCBA Listserv <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Great
  • Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 19:22:12 -0400

IMO, not testing for Varroa is a mistake. I can perhaps understand not testing thousands of hives, but I think a random sampling should be done. For hobby beekeepers there really isn’t any reason not to test. It’s the best way to know if your treatments are working before the hive dies out.

I test mine in early spring, mid summer after removing supers and in the early fall. If I treat I’ll test again when the treatment is finished.

Treatment schedules are variable depending on whether or not you plan to harvest honey, treatment used, etc. Randall has a very good article here with details.

Right now is a good time to test and treat (if needed).



___________________

Walter Starks


You never can tell with bees. ~ Winnie-the-Pooh




On Mar 14, 2016, at 4:15 PM, mark powers <markapowers53 AT gmail.com> wrote:

Good paper.  Last fall I had relatively low varroa counts and decided to give 4 thymol treatments to our two colonies in September anyway.   One of our young mentees then gave a great presentation that demonstrated that her counts had skyrocketed after thymol.  I prepared to do a sugar shake the next day, with dread.  I didn't even get to the shake.  The removable board under the screen had numerous mites.  I immediately treated with formic acid.  Each day I saw fewer mites on the board when I pulled it out, until none were obvious.  The weaker of my two hives did not survive February, with a small softball-sized cluster remnant. My other has lots of bees, but needs a queen, since it seems I have a virgin who is only laying drone.  I saw and phographed her, so there doesn't seem to be a laying worker.  I also saw supercedure cells in November.  So if anyone has a lead on an immediate fertile queen, I'd be grateful. I didn't find any mites on a sugar shake Saturday.  I also froze two frames of drone brood and reinstalled them today.

I am writing this mainly to ask for ideas on a schedule of pre-emptive treatments.  I realize this doesn't eliminate the need to monitor, but I was impressed by the commercial beekeeper who spoke to us and indicted that he doesn't test, only treat.

Mark Powers



On Wed, Mar 9, 2016 at 9:56 PM, Lewis Cauble <lewis AT hivebody.com> wrote:
Great article from BIP.  I have been having many conversations just like this in the mountains.  https://beeinformed.org/2016/03/08/why-did-my-honey-bees-die/

Lewis



_________________________________________
ocba mailing list | North Carolina Beekeeping| http://www.theocba.org/
Manage Your Subscription: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ocba/

_________________________________________
ocba mailing list | North Carolina Beekeeping| http://www.theocba.org/
Manage Your Subscription: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/ocba/




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page